What's the scoop on wellness visits?

Wellness visits are an in-center appointment with a clinician (a doctor or nurse practitioner) to make sure you're as healthy as you can be.  

Depending on the last time you came in for a wellness visit, you might have a pelvic exam (when a provider examines your reproductive organs, including the vulva, vagina, and cervix), a chest exam (also known as a breast exam), and a pap test (the provider will gently wipe some cells from your cervix to send to the lab to see if there are any problems). But wellness visits are also a great time to talk about any issues you may be having that aren't really bad enough to make you feel like you need to schedule a sick visit (a sick visit is when you come in for something that has symptoms like for a UTI or if you think you might have an STD). Smaller issues can still be worth talking with a clinician about, though. 

A lot of people use their wellness visit at Planned Parenthood to discuss sexual problems like discomfort during sex. You can also talk about ways to treat painful periods and if your current birth control method is still working for you. 

The best part about having this visit with Planned Parenthood is we're here to support you — that means no judgment. Our staff know that it can be hard to make an appointment if you've skipped the last several. Maybe you're worried about being lectured for it. That won't happen with us. Our staff are here to care for you no matter what. 

To sum it up, wellness visits are a time to put yourself and your body front and center. You deserve it.