Preventative Care & Screenings
At WakeMed, our gynecological, obstetrics and women’s health teams offer preventative care and medical screenings to support women's health over a lifetime.
| Preventive Service | Reason for Screening | Frequency |
| Well-woman visits. | For women to obtain the recommended preventive services that are age and developmentally appropriate. | Annually, although several visits may be needed to obtain all necessary recommended preventive services, depending on a woman’s health status, health needs and other risk factors. |
| Screening for gestational diabetes. | Pregnancy related gestational diabetes. | In pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation and at the first prenatal visit for pregnant women identified to be at high risk for diabetes. |
| Screening for diabetes mellitus after pregnancy. | For women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) who are not currently pregnant and who have not previously been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. | Initial testing should ideally occur within the first year postpartum and can be conducted as early as 4–6 weeks postpartum. |
| Contraceptive methods and counseling. | All Food and Drug Administration approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling for all women with reproductive capacity. | As prescribed. |
| Breastfeeding support, supplies, and counseling. | Comprehensive lactation support and counseling, by a trained provider during pregnancy and/or in the postpartum period, as well as costs for renting breastfeeding equipment. | In conjunction with each birth. |
| Screening and counseling for interpersonal and domestic violence. | To support women who might be at-risk for interpersonal and domestic violence. | Annually. |
| Screening for anxiety. | For adolescent and adult women, including those who are pregnant or postpartum. | Clinical judgment should be used to determine screening frequency. |
| Screening for breast cancer. | Mammography for average-risk women no earlier than age 40 and no later than age 50. Screening should continue through at least age 74 and age alone should not be the basis to discontinue screening. | Annually. |
| Screening for urinary incontinence. | Risk factors include pregnancy, natural childbirth, aging, menopause, hysterectomy, urinary tumors and stones and neurological disorders; however, these factors should not be used to limit screening. | Annually. |
| Human papillomavirus and pap testing. | High-risk human papillomavirus DNA testing | Screening should begin at 21 years of age and should occur no more frequently than every 3 years. |
| Counseling for sexually transmitted infections. | For all sexually active women. | Annually. |
| Counseling and screening for human immune-deficiency virus. | For all sexually active women. | Annually. |
Information was taken from the U.S. government Health Resources and Services Administration to publish recommended guidance for this chart.