Summary:
As in most households, managing the home front is generally addressed by women; their health is of utmost importance. It goes without saying that preventive check-ups are an integral part of maintaining good health. Routine medical check-ups can help in detecting potential issues at early stages, which in most cases can allow for timely intervention and treatment.
Managing the rigours of everyday family, work, and fast-paced life, the modern woman has to be careful of her personal well-being. She juggles multiple roles and the urge to thrive in each of them; most women find it rather easy to push their own physical and mental health to the back seat. But what most women do not realise is that to outshine in all their responsibilities, they need to remain strong and healthy. That’s not all; every family member also needs to understand the importance of women’s well-being. And the best way to monitor one’s health on a regular basis is a preventive health check up.
Preventive health check ups should be incorporated into everyone’s healthcare routine, especially for those women who are over the age of 30. And here is where having a health insurance plan becomes all the more crucial. The right women health insurance plan can be very helpful as women are more vulnerable to critical ailments, for instance, pregnancy-related disorders, breast cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis, etc. But when these illnesses can be diagnosed at an early stage, in most cases, managing them can become easier.
What are Preventive Health Check Ups?
While preventing a health issue is not always in your hands, regular preventative health check ups can be vital in diagnosing an ailment well in time to not just detect but also manage, if not cure, the most critical of diseases.
Why are Preventive Health Check Ups important for women?
Considering the anatomical structure of a woman’s body, they are more prone to several illnesses and diseases. However, as women age, hormonal changes and societal factors can exacerbate these issues and increase their risk of garnering a multitude of diseases. Therefore, preventive health check ups become crucial to stave off such conditions and uncover early warning signals, eliminating both health complications and hefty long-term medical expenditures. Mentioned below are the top 5 reasons why a regular preventive health check is important for women.
- You are in a better position to prevent health issues:
What better to state the importance of the age-old saying, prevention is better than cure? An early diagnosis can be extremely helpful. For example, you can determine the potential risk of developing diabetes or high cholesterol by regularly checking your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Because doctors advise patients who are on the edge/borderline to limit their sugar intake, most women who understand the risk can shape their health in a better way. - You can lower the healthcare cost:
Long-term financial savings can be achieved through routine health checkups. This is because diagnosing a disease right at the early stages will lower the medical bills compared to when a health concern intensifies. Additionally, routine health examinations covered under women health insurance can lower the woman’s risk of undergoing operations and developing severe chronic disorders. - You can prevent the further spread of the disease:
Regular health check-ups can assist medical professionals in identifying diseases before they spread and become grave. For instance, cancer is an illness that can be challenging to diagnose if identified after a certain stage. - You can reduce the risk of complications:
When a medical disease is identified at the early stages, it poses a lesser complication and risk than when it is discovered later. A routine and preventive health check-up can help support your body’s recovery from any medical conditions, thereby reducing the adverse risk of complications. - You can be more involved in your healthcare needs:
You can be certain of your state of wellness by regularly checking your health and its needs. You also help your body to increase its lifespan by taking the doctor’s preventive advice and adhering to their recommendations. All in all, preventive health check-ups help you understand your body and get involved in its healthcare requirements. - You can enjoy a healthier lifestyle:
Based on their age, general health, and family medical history, women might need to undergo frequent checkups and certain tests. This is because of the quick lifestyle as well as hormonal and other physical changes at this age. A preventive health checkup enables you to ascertain if you are in good health, thereby bringing about tranquillity in your mind. You can hence enjoy a healthier and happier lifestyle.
Important medical screening tests for women are:
Insufficient sleep, genetic disorders, and unhealthy lifestyle choices can result in a list of moderate to serious health conditions amongst all. However, regular screenings that include tests for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease can ultimately save the long-term financial, mental, and emotional hassle. Given below is a list of important medical screening tests that women should perform on a routine basis.
- PAP Smear
A PAP Smear test is a cervical screening that is recommended for women to detect cervical cancer. The test also identifies potential alterations in cervical cells that could, in the long term, develop into cancer. On the contrary, a pelvic exam, usually recommended alongside, aids in determining the condition of your reproductive organs, i.e., the uterus, vagina, vulva, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and cervix.
It is advised that all women over 21 years must undergo routine pelvic exams and PAP smears at least once every 3 years. In fact, you must get these tests performed more often if you develop the slightest symptoms of having cysts, vaginal bleeding, STDs, or are associated with a family history of cancer. In most cases, a women health insurance plan would cover PAP Smear as a preventive check-up.
- Mammogram
A mammogram is a test that assists in the detection of breast cancer. This test can aid in the early detection of cancer so that it can be treated before it develops and reaches a chronic state. Starting around the age of 44 to 50, this test is advised for Indian women once every two years. - Thyroid
Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are two crucial hormones that the thyroid gland produces and helps control metabolism in the body. Your body’s metabolic rate starts slowing down if your thyroid hormone levels fall (hypothyroidism). Fatigue, weight gain, and dry skin are a few symptoms of hypothyroidism. On the other hand, hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, can result in weight loss, anxiety, troubled sleeping and an abnormally rapid heartbeat.
Usually, an underactive or hyperactive thyroid gland affects women more than men. The normality of your thyroid hormone levels can be determined with a thyroid function test. - Lipid Panel
A lipid panel is crucial because it helps determine your levels of triglycerides and cholesterol, even though it is not particular to women. Excessive cholesterol levels can narrow your arteries and increase your chance of developing heart disease. Moreover, elevated cholesterol levels don’t show any obvious symptoms. However, they can only be identified by a test.
This testing is thus advised for everyone starting at age 20 to undergo at least every five years. A Lipid Panel test may need to be performed more regularly for people with a family history of heart disease or those who have certain risk factors (such as obesity/diabetes). - Blood Pressure
A key sign of diseases like hypertension may be the result of disturbed blood pressure. Heart disease is more likely to affect women than men because of hormonal and lifestyle variables like stress, menopause, and pregnancy difficulties. Nonetheless, a blood pressure check can aid in the early detection and management of potential cardiovascular attacks and diseases.
It is advised for people with normal blood pressure to undergo yearly screen testings. Your doctor will advise more regular testing if the reading on your blood pressure is abnormally high or low. Also, if you have diabetes, kidney conditions, heart illness, or any other medical complication, you might require additional tests as well.
Conclusion
While getting regular medical screening is imperative for every individual, the importance of preventive health check-ups for women cannot be overstated. It has been medically proven that women are at higher risk than men for certain illnesses and conditions, including heart disease, osteoporosis, breast cancer, and depression. Regular medical check-ups can help detect such issues in their initial stages when they are comparatively easier to treat as well as manage. Early diagnosis also reduces the likelihood of long-term complications or death from these diseases and conditions.
Therefore, if you are a woman, or/ and there are women in your family, you should go for regular check-ups. Investing in suitable women health insurance plans can prove to be a very affordable way to manage such screening tests.
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
