Your 2026 Wellness Checklist: 3 Essential GYN Appointments

The new year feels like an annual reset: Many people reflect on areas of desired change and growth, making vows to leave behind bad habits and establish healthier patterns. If you’re ready to do the same, essential women’s wellness care is a great place to start. 

In this month’s blog, our team at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology in Amarillo, Texas, is here to offer a list of three invaluable appointment opportunities for gynecological care and improved wellness that every woman should get on the calendar in 2026. 

1. Your annual well-woman exam

A well-woman exam is your yearly comprehensive health check-in. This essential visit covers your reproductive health and sexual wellness, as well as important aspects of your general physical health and mental well-being. 

What it entails 

We take your vital signs, weight, height, and blood pressure, go over any medications you take, discuss your personal and family medical history, and discuss health risks you may need to keep an eye on. 

We also ask questions about your menstrual cycle, sexual activity, contraception use, relationship concerns, family planning desires, emotional wellness, and lifestyle patterns — and offer personalized health recommendations based on our wide-ranging conversation.

Key components 

During this visit, you can expect a clinical breast exam to check for tactile lumps and visual breast changes. You can also expect a pelvic exam, and, if you’re due, a Pap smear and/or HPV test to screen for cervical cancer and its main risk factor (high-risk HPV). 

Pap testing is generally recommended every 3 years between the ages of 21-29; starting at 30, most women begin having a combined Pap/HPV test every 5 years until the age of 65.

Other tests and preventive screenings may be left for a separate visit (see below). 

Health benefits 

By giving you a fairly comprehensive snapshot of your health, your well-woman visit helps you see where things are going well — and where they may be falling short — so you can course correct in real time and take charge of your health with confidence. 

2. A screening and testing visit

While we can incorporate certain preventive health screenings, like Pap/HPV testing, into your well-woman exam, it’s often easier to schedule a separate appointment when several tests are recommended. 

A screening and testing visit aims to help you catch issues early and prevent major health problems down the road. Yours may include:

Screening mammogram

This special X-ray checks your breast and lymph nodes for early signs of breast cancer. Most women can start having annual screening mammograms at the age of 40; if you’re at high risk of breast cancer due to diagnosed genetics or family history, your screening schedule will start earlier.

Bone density scan

Most women should have their first bone density scan (DEXA) after menopause, usually starting at age 65, to check for osteoporosis. Repeat DEXA testing is typically recommended every 15 years thereafter, unless the scan shows signs of low bone density. 

STI screenings

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings aren’t typically part of your well-woman visit (unless symptoms are present), but they’re an essential part of your overall wellness plan if you’re sexually active. Recommended STI tests (i.e., chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV) depend on your age, sexual activity, and other personal risk factors. 

3. Your specialized consultation 

Finally, make 2026 the year you take charge of your high-priority health needs. Women’s wellness needs change through every age and stage of life, and while your annual exam aims to meet you where you are, sometimes it’s best to schedule a separate visit for specific health management needs. 

Your special GYN consult may focus on:

• Family planning options and considerations 
• Expert guidance for sexual health concerns 
• Finding the best form of birth control for you
• Vaccine guidance (i.e., HVP immunization) 
• Menopause management; hormone therapy

In just three GYN appointments, you can head into 2026 with full confidence in your health and well-being — and a plan for continued health well into the future. 

Ready to get the ball rolling? Call 806-359-5468 to schedule an appointment at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology today.