A woman’s body requires an exceptional level of care to keep it healthy and prevent disease. Laura Kuperman, MD, has more than 20 years experience in gynecology providing preventive, diagnostic, and surgical gynecological services to women in Forest Hills, New York. Take the first step to improving your health and wellness, call Dr. Kuperman’s office or schedule a well-woman exam online to find relief today.
Gynecology Q & A
What is gynecology?
Gynecology is a field of medicine dedicated to women’s health, especially the reproductive system. Specialized areas of healthcare that fall under gynecology include:
Menstruation
Family planning
Hormone disorders
Sexually transmitted diseases
Infertility, pregnancy, and childbirth
Cancers of the female reproductive system and breasts
As a gynecologist, Dr. Kuperman performs essential preventive health care screenings during regular gynecological well-woman exams.
What is a well-woman exam?
Well-woman exams with Dr. Kuperman enable her to conduct comprehensive physical examinations that both prevent serious health issues from developing or help her detect them early on. Early detection is a vital step to maintaining optimal health and successfully treating disease.
During regular well-woman exams, Dr. Kuperman establishes a baseline of your general health which helps her detect potential issues before they become serious. At these comprehensive medical exams, she evaluates your vital information, such as heart rate, weight, and blood pressure. She also reviews your personal and family medical histories to watch for increased risks of diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
Important aspects of your well-woman exam are breast and pelvic examinations. This gynecological portion of your physical allows Dr. Kuperman to evaluate your reproductive health while conducting routine cervical cancer screenings with a Pap smear and possibly testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Why do I need a Pap smear?
A Pap smear, or Pap test, is a gynecological test to detect cervical cancer. Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer death for American women, but they have significantly decreased due to early detection through Pap smears.
During your Pap smear, Dr. Kuperman uses a speculum to access your cervix, located at the top of your vagina. She gently scrapes your cervix for cells and sends them for lab analysis.
A Pap smear isn’t a painful procedure and is very quick, but you may experience mild discomfort.
Why do I need STD testing?
If you’re sexually active, regular STD screenings are vital for your reproductive health, especially because many STDs don’t have symptoms.
During your pelvic exam, Dr. Kuperman visually checks the physical health of your genitals. Signs of infection might include sores, irritation, rashes, or warts. Other symptoms include:
Pelvic pain
Burning with urination
Abnormal vaginal discharge
Flu-like symptoms, such as fever and chills
Irritating, pain, itching, or swelling of the vulva, vagina, or anus
For personalized gynecologic care in a warm and friendly environment, call Laura Kuperman, MD, or schedule an appointment online today.