January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. The Pap smear transformed cervical cancer outcomes in the twentieth century. HPV testing transformed them again. But the screening landscape is still shifting, and many women are being screened on outdated protocols or under-screened for their risk profile. What’s normal, when, and why has genuinely changed.
This session covers current cervical and pelvic health screening standards, what emerging evidence says about optimal intervals and combinations, and where confusion in the guidelines is leaving women underserved. We’ll cover HPV testing methodology, when co-testing versus primary HPV testing is appropriate, and how to have the pelvic health conversation with your gynecologist as you move through midlife.
Standard of care markers we’ll cover include Pap smear (cytology), primary HPV testing, HPV co-testing protocols, and standard pelvic exam. Emerging markers and considerations include specific HPV genotyping (16 and 18 versus other high-risk types), colposcopy criteria, endometrial biopsy indications, transvaginal ultrasound as adjunct to pelvic exam, and screening interval decisions for women post-hysterectomy or post-menopause.
You’ll leave with clear understanding of the current screening standards, what questions to ask about your specific risk profile, and how cervical health fits into the larger midlife gynecological conversation.
