Routine Gynecological Exams

A routine gynecological exam (also known as the "annual exam") generally consists of a pelvic examination, a pap test and breast exam (and self breast exam instruction) Additional tests for anemia, STIs (sexually transmitted infections), cholesterol screening, etc. are done as requested or required.

Gynecological care at CFHC is provided by Nurse Practitioners and Certified Nurse Midwives.  Our practitioners have decades of experience in the field of women's reproductive health care and are sensitive to the varied and unique health needs of women: those of young and first time GYN clients, pre-menopause and menopausal women, lesbian and bisexual women, women with disabilities and others with special needs or concerns.

Pap Smears

The Pap smear is a test for cancer of the cervix.  It’s a simple, painless test that involves taking a sample of cells from the cervix (the lower end of the uterus) and checking to see if the cells show any signs cancer - or of a precancerous condition called dysplasia.  As with other medical tests, a “negative” result is good – it means nothing abnormal was found.

If you are sexually active with men, you’re at risk for acquiring HPV (human papilloma virus), the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer.  The good news is that even if you acquire one of the strains of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, if you’re young (under age 30), healthy, and don’t smoke, your immune system is likely to fight off the virus on its own (Smoking adds to the risk of developing cervical cancer).

There is a new vaccine called Gardasil which offers girls and women protection against four strands of HPV responsible for 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital wart infections. The CDC is recommending that all girls and women aged 11 to 26 receive this vaccine. After weighing the risks and benefits, Concord Feminist Health Center has decided to offer Gardasil to our clients.

Breast Exams

A Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) helps you and your health care provider keep an eye on your breast health. During an appointment for a Clinical Breast Exam, your purse practitioner will discuss your breast health, check out any changes, and perform a manual and visual exam of your breasts. Breast Self-Exam (BSE) and mammograms will also be discussed during your visit.

Pregnancy Testing and Ultrasound

The pregnancy tests that you can buy at any pharmacy are quite accurate and sensitive, generally able to detect pregnancy hormone in the urine before a woman misses her period.

CFHC also offers early, highly sensitive urine pregnancy tests, free of charge, with results available immediately.  A woman with a positive test can receive free pregnancy options counseling, information and referrals as needed.

If you are pregnant and unsure of the date when your last period began, there are two ways you can find out how far along you are. One is to have a pelvic (internal) exam. A clinician can usually assess the length of a pregnancy within about 2 weeks by manually feeling the uterus, however, various factors such as a very retroverted ("tipped" or "tilted") uterus can make difficult to accurately date the pregnancy. A second method of dating a pregnancy is by using ultrasound, which is generally quite accurate if done at five weeks or later in the pregnancy.

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