For women ages 23-33, especially those that are of marrying and child-bearing age and would like to have a baby soon, it is very essential that you include pap smear and transvaginal ultrasound in your routine. That’s aside from the usual selection of women’s vitamin and integration of regular exercise.

This is because based from studies, a lot of women, especially the sexually active ones, usually find out too late that they are at the late stages of cervical cancer. This could have easily been prevented had they only gone through the every six-months or once a year pap smear and a vaginal ultrasound.

Pap smear screening can identify potentially precancerous changes. And in developed countries, according to Wikipedia, “the widespread use of cervical screening programs has reduced the incidence of invasive cervical cancer by 50% or more.”

A transvaginal ultrasound, on the other hand, is very essential especially for those who are planning to have a baby. As described by Jennifer Gerics, “It is a diagnostic test which gives a magnified view of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes (if visible), the endometrial lining, and surrounding (adnexal) areas.

Transvaginal ultrasound is used to evaluate a variety of abnormalities of the female genital tract. Some of these include the endometrium of women with infertility problems or abnormal bleeding; sources of unexplained pain; congenital malformations of the uterus and ovaries; ovarian tumors and cysts; possible pelvic infection; and causes of infertility.”

Although those two aren’t your usual every-six months hygiene routine like your teeth-cleaning routine, integrating them into your health and hygiene yearly must-do routine can make a huge difference in your life. As always, prevention will ALWAYS be better than cure.