Often the first independent health care decision that a young person makes is to come to Planned Parenthood for reproductive health care. And for many women, we may be their only health care provider. We have the unique opportunity to help our patients understand the importance of preventive care.
What is preventive care?
Preventive care is about staying healthy. It includes regular medical visits that can help detect diseases, conditions or illnesses before they become more serious. Regular screening for obesity, high blood pressure, and tobacco use is an important part of your care and we can offer counseling, treatment, or referrals as needed. It’s also about education that helps you make healthy choices to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infection and unintended pregnancy.
Why is it important?
Our bodies don’t always make us aware something is wrong right away, which is what preventive care is meant to, well . . . prevent. Planned Parenthood’s 19 health centers in San Diego, Riverside and Imperial counties are known for providing lifesaving cervical cancer screenings, breast exams, birth control, and STD testing. By coming to us for routine checkups, you’re partnering with experts in the reproductive and sexual health field to take charge of your health.
When my family and I fell on hard times and we lost our health insurance, Planned Parenthood provided quality health care for me for several years: pap screens, breast cancer screenings, birth control and even blood tests to track my cholesterol!
What preventive services does Planned Parenthood provide and when are they recommended?
- Pap test – Most women should get this test every three years, but if you’ve had an abnormal Pap, we may recommend more frequent tests.
- Breast cancer screening – Women ages 21-30 should get a breast exam every three years. Women 40 years and older should have a breast exam and mammogram every year. We don’t provide mammography services, but refer patients to places that do.
- STD screening – If you are sexually active, we can assess you for risk factors and recommend and perform the screening that is appropriate for you.
- Birth control – If you’re on hormonal birth control we’d like you to check in every year. We encourage people to come in whenever they have questions, concerns or want to switch methods.
Whether it’s preventing pregnancy or checking out a breast lump, we’ve got you covered for preventive care. Did you know that Planned Parenthood accepts many types of insurance? And if you don’t have health insurance, not to worry. We’ll make sure you get the affordable, nonjudgmental, high quality care you deserve.
Thanks to Planned Parenthood, I have been able to get the preventive care I needed to remain healthy without going into debt. I am so grateful they were always there for me.
If you’d like to set up an appointment, give us a call at 1.888.743.PLAN or click here.