• Annual wellness visits remain essential, even when Pap smears are only recommended every few years, to help women stay on top of preventive care and health concerns.
• Routine screenings save lives, with cervical cancer screening starting at 21, mammograms at 40 and colorectal cancer screenings at 45 for most women.
• Women should seek care when symptoms affect daily life, including concerns related to menstruation, menopause, mental health or overall well-being, and it's never too late to get back on track with preventive care.
   

Women’s health can be a complex topic, and many women may not know that preventive care can begin earlier than they think. From reproductive health conversations to annual wellness exams, understanding where and when to start seeking care can be the first step toward maintaining lifelong health and wellness.

Shane Gerber, certified nurse practitioner at OhioHealth Van Wert Obstetrics and Gynecology, shared preventive care advice for women at every age and explains when to begin recommended screenings.

Adolescence: Beginning Women’s Health Conversations

Conversations about reproductive and women’s health should begin early. While irregular periods can be normal during adolescence, significant pain or prolonged bleeding may indicate a need for medical attention. Young women are encouraged to discuss menstrual health and normal development with their primary care provider.

20s and 30s: Cervical Cancer Screenings

One of the first steps to preventive care is staying up to date on cervical cancer screenings. Pap smears begin at age 21 and help detect abnormal cervical cells that could lead to cancer. Beginning at age 30, screenings may also include HPV testing, which checks for the virus responsible for most cervical cancers. While some screenings are only necessary every few years, Gerber stresses that regular wellness appointments are just as important  for maintaining conversations about women’s health.

"A lot of the guidelines for Pap smears are now every three to five years, and that's only if you've had a history of normal Paps in the past," Gerber said. "But women think that means they don't need to be seen except once every three years, and I try to tell them it's still important to get a yearly exam."

40s and 50s: Cancer Screenings and Menopause

Other important preventive screenings include mammograms for breast cancer and colorectal cancer screenings. For women at average risk, mammograms generally begin at age 40, while colorectal cancer screenings begin at 45. Women with a family history of certain cancers should discuss the possibility of earlier screenings with their healthcare providers.

As women approach menopause, paying attention to physical and emotional changes becomes an important part of preventive care. Symptoms to watch for include difficulty sleeping, depression or anxiety, brain fog, joint pain and irregular periods. However, if any symptom starts to interfere with everyday life or women experience unusually heavy or frequent bleeding, they should consult a healthcare provider.

“Any time that your physical or mental well-being is interfering with your quality of life or your overall functioning, you should definitely seek help or be seen,” Gerber said.

60s and Beyond: Bone Health and Osteoporosis

Bone health also becomes increasingly important with age. Women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis after menopause due to declining estrogen levels. It is recommended to begin bone density screenings at age 65, although some women may need earlier testing based on individual risk factors. 

Prioritizing Preventaive Care at Every Age

For women who have fallen behind on preventive appointments or are unsure where to start, Gerber emphasizes that it's never too late to prioritize their health.

“Start with your healthcare provider that you're most comfortable with,” Gerber said. “If it's your family doctor, if it's your OB/GYN, you can get started. It's never too late.”

To schedule an appointment or learn more about recommended health screenings, click here.

• OhioHealth breast cancer surgeon and survivor Dr. Deepa Halaharvi shares her personal journey to raise breast cancer awareness.
• Early detection and regular mammograms are essential for breast health, even for women without a family history of breast cancer.
• Advances in breast cancer treatment and genomic testing offer patients more personalized care options and improved outcomes.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, serving as a reminder of the importance of early detection and understanding breast health. For an OhioHealth breast surgeon, the month holds a deeper personal significance.

Deepa Halaharvi, DO, breast cancer surgeon, survivor and the OhioHealth Foundation Endowed Chair for Breast Health, recently joined Spectrum News to share her experience with breast cancer and encourage women to take an active role in their health. Just eight months into her career as a breast surgeon, Halaharvi was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Despite her medical knowledge, Halaharvi found herself experiencing many of the same emotions that her patients face when receiving a diagnosis.

"I had all those feelings that people go through when they get told that they have breast cancer," Halaharvi told Spectrum News. "I'm no different, even though I'm a breast cancer surgeon. I still had to go through those emotions when I was diagnosed."

Since her diagnosis, Halaharvi launched “The Breast Cancer Podcast” to educate others on the misconceptions about breast cancer and connect patients with trusted medical experts all around the world. Today, the podcast reaches listeners in 147 different countries.

Through the podcast and her social media, Halaharvi hopes to correct one of the biggest misconceptions that women without a family history of breast cancer are not at risk.

"85 to 90% of the people who get diagnosed with breast cancer do not have family history. I'm one of them," Halaharvi said. "But family history or not, you still should be getting checked and getting screened."

Halaharvi encourages women to begin screenings as early as possible and have conversations with their healthcare providers about preventive care for breast health. Mammograms generally begin at the age of 40 for women at average risk, while those with a family history or other risk factors may need to screen earlier. She also stresses the importance of noticing breast changes and contacting a doctor if a lump or other concern develops.

Advancements in breast cancer treatment have provided patients with more personalized care options. Halaharvi explained that genomic testing can help determine whether chemotherapy is absolutely necessary or if there are other treatment options.

"If you get diagnosed at early stage, the prognosis is really good," Halaharvi said. "You may need lesser treatments in terms of surgery and medications and chemotherapy."

Halaharvi continues to use her experience as both a breast cancer surgeon and survivor to make a difference beyond the medical office. Throughout the rest of October, she is sharing daily breast health tips on social media and using her podcast and community involvement to encourage women to prioritize their health and recognize early signs of breast cancer.

If it’s time for your mammogram, click here to schedule.

• CenteringPregnancy at OhioHealth Grant Family Medicine is celebrating 10 years of providing group prenatal care, education and connection for expectant parents.
•  Approximately 319 patients and families have participated in the program, building supportive relationships while discussing topics from delivery preparation to mental health.
• The program’s impact extends beyond pregnancy, with many families staying connected through visits, updates and events as their children grow.

For the past decade, CenteringPregnancy at OhioHealth Grant Family Medicine has brought expectant parents together to receive prenatal care, learn and build connections. Recently, patients, families and staff reunited to celebrate the program’s 10-year anniversary and the milestones they shared along the way.

Instead of a traditional prenatal appointment with one physician, CenteringPregnancy brings together patients who are at similar stages in their pregnancies. This program creates a supportive and safe space for patients to have conversations about different topics ranging from delivery preparation to mental health.

“What I love about Centering is that it gives our patients a chance to learn, ask questions, and connect with other families who are going through some of the same things,” said Bre’Shawn Williams, Centering Program Patient Navigator at Grant Family Medicine. “Sometimes the best conversations come from one patient asking a question and another person saying, ‘I was wondering the same thing!’”

Over the past 10 years, approximately 319 patients and families have participated in CenteringPregnancy. The reunion brought many of those families and staff members back together to celebrate the program's growth and reflect on its impact over the years.

“For me, one of the biggest things is watching the relationships develop. You may have patients come into that first group who are really quiet, nervous, or don’t know what to expect,” Bre’Shawn said. “Then, as the sessions continue, you see them start opening up, asking questions, laughing, sharing their experiences, and becoming more comfortable with each other and with us.”

Reaching the 10-year milestone also gave the team an opportunity to reflect on the hundreds of families they have supported throughout their pregnancy journeys.

“Celebrating 10 years of CenteringPregnancy is really special to me because Centering is so much more than prenatal care,” Bre’Shawn said. “We get the opportunity to build real relationships with our patients and their families and be part of such an important chapter in their lives.”

For many families, those relationships can continue long after families complete the program. Whether they stop by to visit, send updates or return for events, the CenteringPrenancy team gets to see the families grow beyond their time in the program.

“My hope is that every family who comes through our program leaves knowing that they were heard, supported, cared for, and that they always had someone in their corner,” Bre’Shawn said. “Seeing some of those babies come back years later as big kids is probably one of the best reminders of why we do what we do.”

When envisioning about a heart attack, many people think about the “Hollywood heart attack” that is typically portrayed in movies. Dr. Albers said that while these types of heart attacks do happen, it’s also very common for people to have intense fatigue, sweats, dizziness, chest pressure, nausea and indigestion when presenting with a heart attack.

“My worst worry is that someone will ignore their indigestion, and it’s their heart and they’re having a heart attack,” Dr Albers said [02:37-02:45]. She explains that many women brush off symptoms such as being fatigued because they think it’s a normal daily experience, but this could be a symptom of having a heart attack.

There are specific risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and family history that Dr. Albers emphasizes women focus on tracking throughout their life.

“I really want you to ask, ‘what’s my numbers?’. Know your numbers,” Dr. Albers said [05:35-05:38]. Know your numbers for blood pressure—we call blood pressure the silent killer because it might be higher as you go through life, if you have stress or for different reasons, blood pressure can go up, and you might not feel it, so that’s definitely a number you have to measure” [05:39-05:56].

Dr. Albers shares the three critical areas to improve on in women’s heart health, despite recent progress: making sure women are aware that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women, informing the medical community about the less publicized symptoms of a heart attack, so they can identify an emergency and making sure women can take care of themselves within their household.  

Dr. Albers said that we need more scientific research to fully understand the benefits of treatment plans. She adds that we don’t have enough research to know enough about women’s health and treatment.

“I would hope that women can work with their provider, and try and understand what we do know, and I’m hopeful that we will get a plan to be able to do the research that will give us evidence to know the best way to treat women,” Dr. Albers said [19:58-20:17].

When working with your provider, she emphasizes the importance of narrowing down your symptoms and coming in prepared with the details, so you can fully advocate for your health.

To listen to the full episode, click here.