Women's Health: Comprehensive Care for All Stages of Life

Women’s health isn’t just a buzzword: it’s how we connect you with the information and care you need to address issues unique to you. Our team of compassionate and experienced women’s health experts at Tu Clinica in Arlington, Texas offers a wide range of services for the young and the young at heart. 

Here’s a closer look at how we provide care for you at every stage of life. 

For tweens, teens, and in-betweens

For your teen or tween, you can expect to schedule their first well-woman exam around the time they start puberty. Much of her first exam involves talking and answering questions about her health, growth, and development, including everything from menstrual cycles and body image to vaginal itching and discharge. 

If she’s sexually active, we can discuss birth control and healthy sexual relationships. 

For many of our younger patients, well-woman exams can be unsettling. Unless she has an unusual discharge or pelvic pain, reassure her there shouldn't be any need to perform a pelvic exam. Even if she’s experiencing those symptoms, we usually opt for a trans-abdominal sonogram and other tests. 

We typically conduct a general physical and clinical breast exam and check her external genitalia for potential problems. One of our main goals is to build a relationship and help your teen understand her health. 

For adults

Once you reach adulthood, your well-woman exams focus more on specific issues. We still cover the basics, like breast exams, birth control, and menstrual cycles, but your visits may also include testing for health issues. 

For example, at age 21, we recommend all women (especially those who are sexually active) get a Pap smear and then every three years until age 65. Pap smears help us detect human papillomavirus (HPV) and signs of cervical cancer. 

We also recommend a pelvic exam starting at age 21, which closely examines your vagina, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix. 

When you reach 50, we add mammograms to your list of recommended screenings. You typically get mammograms every year after your first and then every 1-2 years if you’re 55 and haven’t had any problems.

You may also start to ask more pointed questions about pregnancy, fertility, and sexuality, and based on your health history and your concerns, we can test for and treat: 

• Irregular periods
• Heavy, painful menstruation
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Yeast infections
• Bacterial vaginosis
• Breast cancer
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Hypothyroidism
• Sexually transmitted diseases

We also provide preventive medicine to help you avoid problems in the future. 

For seniors

For our patients 65 years and older, our focus remains on screening for medical issues and assessing your risk for future health problems. During your appointment, we talk about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, updating vaccinations, and performing a mammogram if necessary, and recommending specialized treatment if you need it. 

You can usually stop having Pap smears at age 65 if you haven’t been diagnosed with cervical cancer or precancer and you’ve had three consecutive negative results or two consecutive negative PAP and HPV test results within 10 years. 

Can’t I get all of this done at a regular physical?

A routine physical is not the same as a well-woman exam. Your appointment with us is designed to address problems specific to your reproductive health. Both are important, but neither can replace the other. 

Ready to get connected to a women’s health expert? Call our friendly staff at 682-237-8725 or use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment today.