The Importance of Gynecologic Care

Baptist Health Lexington: The Importance of Gynecologic Care

Gynecologist Hope Cottrill, MD, talks about how regular primary care and gynecologic visits can help women stay healthy, screen for cancer and treat other conditions.

The Importance of Gynecologic Care HealthTalks Transcript

Hope Cottrill, MD, Gynecologic Oncology
Gynecologic malignancies include cancers of the vulva, so, the outside part of the female genitalia, the vagina, the cervix, the uterus, which is the womb, the fallopian tubes, and the ovaries. The common age to start screening for gynecologic malignancies is really with pap smear screening at the age of 21. Otherwise, it’s regular, good gynecologic care, going to see your doctor on a regular basis. If something is wrong, you need to visit for medical attention, so for women, post-menopausal bleeding, persistent bloating, change in bowel or bladder habits — those are all reasons to come in and be evaluated. The services available at Baptist Health Lexington to help women with predispositions towards gynecologic malignancies include the genetic screening program. We have basic primary care, which is important for every woman, and that’s where really the front line of diagnosis and getting referrals for women with gynecologic malignancies, that’s where that occurs. We also have dedicated cancer dieticians. We make sure that they have a relationship with that patient so that we’re protecting the patient before side effects develop.