The New Year is here, and it’s time to lay out your plans for 2026. The special health needs of women are often easy to overlook, so at John A. Whitfield, MD, in Fort Worth, Texas, we’d like to suggest five essential women’s health screenings that you shouldn’t skip in the coming year, if you’re due for one or more of these preventive health mainstays.
Medical screenings are diagnostic checks and tests performed on patients who have no symptoms of the targeted conditions or diseases. These screenings uncover “silent” conditions that produce few or no signs of the disease in the early stages, like high blood pressure, or that check for predictive factors for future disease, such as some forms of cancer.
The unique nature of women’s health, with its emphasis on reproductive functions, presents more complexity and therefore the possibility of more to go wrong. While not all of our recommended screenings are annual, it’s important to stay current, so use 2026 as a baseline year.
These five health screening targets listed here represent general advice for women. Your individual priorities may depend on factors specific to your situation. Discuss these additional concerns with Dr. Whitfield and devise a schedule tailored to these specific needs.
Perhaps the foundation of your preventive care regimen, an annual well-woman visit, keeps both you and Dr. Whitfield up to date. We’ll review your medical history since your last visit, as well as update your vital signs.
Dr. Whitman will evaluate your overall health and wellness, including fundamental checks of general physical and mental health. We may order other diagnostic checks based on Dr. Whitman’s findings.
Typically, your well-woman visit includes ordering blood tests to screen for many potential health complications. We may check for blood sugar, hormone levels, nutritional deficiencies, cholesterol levels, and thyroid performance.
The Pap smear was once the primary predictive test for cervical cancer, but now human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is often the standard. You won’t need these every year unless you have one or more elevated risk factors for the disease. If needed, these tests are usually done during your well-woman visit.
Mammograms continue to be the main screen against breast cancer. Depending on your health and risk factors, you may need annual mammograms after the age of 40. Discuss your screening frequency with Dr. Whitfield.
All sexually active women should consider screening for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at various points in their lives. Consider testing when you have a new partner, multiple partners, after unprotected sex, or when you present symptoms like discharge, pain, or sores that may indicate an active infection.
Contact John A. Whitfield, MD, in Fort Worth at 817-927-2229 to get back on track with your basic health screenings. Early detection makes for better treatment outcomes, so book your appointment now.
