Your Health in 2026: Why You Shouldn't Skip Your Annual Well-Woman Exam

A new year is a great time to reflect on how far we’ve come and to envision ways to enhance the path ahead, especially in health and wellness. If your resolutions include feeling and functioning better in 2026, booking your annual well-woman exam at Philadelphia Women’s Health & Wellness is a great place to begin. 

Here are some of the reasons why you should never skip your well-woman exams. 

Well-woman exams are a preventive health measure

While the team at Philadelphia Women’s Health & Wellness offers outstanding diagnostic and treatment services for a wide range of gynecologic issues, we’ve also built our practice on a strong foundation of preventive medicine. 

Well-woman exams are the setting where you receive the health screenings appropriate for your age and overall health. This includes cervical cancer screening. Pap smear testing and human papillomavirus (HPV) testing are standard during well-woman exams, although you might not need these services every year. 

Pap smear testing can detect cervical cancer in the earliest stages, when cells begin to take on abnormal characteristics that suggest they could eventually become cancerous. This enables you and your provider to take action early on, dramatically reducing your risk of a serious outcome. 

Since most cases of cervical cancer are caused by an HPV infection, knowing your status helps you guide your women’s health planning. Young women can also receive the HPV vaccine, which can protect them against future infection. 

You might not be using the right birth control method

Never before have there been so many amazing options when it comes to contraception. If you’ve been using the same method for years, there may be a better fit for your needs. 

Your well-woman exam provides an opportunity to discuss your family planning preferences with your practitioner. If there are things about your current form of birth control that aren’t working out for you, there may be a better option.

You might also find that your birth control needs shift and change over time. Young women often prefer the birth control pill, as it can help even out acne outbreaks. Women who are sexually active with more than one partner may choose condoms and spermicide, as condoms are the only option that also protects against sexually transmitted diseases. 

During busier phases of life, you should consider a long-lasting option like the birth control implant or an intrauterine device (IUD). These approaches require no effort on your part beyond coming into the office for the device to be inserted or implanted. 

Your sex life may not be all that it could be

Sexual health is an integral part of overall health. But far too many women accept a mediocre or unsatisfying sex life as part of growing older, or the changes that happen after becoming a parent. 

In reality, there is no need to settle for a sex life that doesn’t bring you joy and satisfaction. Our practitioners sit down with you to discuss your current challenges and explore options to enhance your sex life.

Many women who are nearing or entering menopause can benefit from hormone replacement therapy (HRT), an approach that can help restore both their sex drive and their natural vaginal lubrication. If you’re experiencing painful intercourse, we can determine the cause and help you explore treatment avenues.  

Book your 2026 well-woman exam today

If you’re excited to get a jump start on your 2026 list of New Year’s resolutions regarding your health and wellness, make today the day you book your 2026 well-woman exam. 

Philadelphia Women’s Health & Wellness offers both phone-based scheduling and online booking options. We’re happy to make women’s health services more accessible, from the moment you schedule your visit to your appointments and beyond.