Your annual exam should do more than check a box. Here's what real preventive care looks like.

Most women leave their yearly gynecology appointment feeling like they went through a checklist. Dr. Toubi built her practice around a different idea: that your annual visit should be the most useful health conversation you have all year.

That means your annual exam covers not just your cervical health and reproductive screenings, but also your hormonal balance, sexual wellness, muscle mass, metabolic health - and an honest conversation about what it looks like to age powerfully.

What's included in your annual visit with Dr. Toubi

This is a comprehensive well-care visit - not a rushed 15 minutes. Here's what you can expect:

About the Pap test - and why Dr. Toubi recommends it yearly

You may have heard that you only need a Pap test every three to five years. Current guidelines are written for the general population, but Dr. Toubi takes a different view for her patients.

Cervical cell changes can develop between screenings. Catching them early - when they're still minor and easy to address - is always better than discovering them later. For that reason, Dr. Toubi recommends an annual Pap test as part of her proactive well-care philosophy.

The test itself is quick and minimally invasive. A small sample of cells is collected from the cervix and sent to a lab. If anything looks abnormal, the next step is a colposcopy for a closer look.

If your Pap comes back abnormal: colposcopy

An abnormal Pap result can feel alarming - but it almost never means cancer. Most of the time it means your cervical cells have changed slightly, and a closer look is needed. That's exactly what a colposcopy provides.

Using a specialized magnifying device, Dr. Toubi examines the cervix in detail and identifies any areas worth monitoring or treating. A small biopsy may be taken if needed. The procedure is done in-office and is generally well-tolerated - similar in feel to a Pap test, though a bit longer.

Evaluating uterine health: endometrial biopsy

If you're experiencing postmenopausal bleeding, irregular or heavy periods, or suspected hormonal imbalance, an endometrial biopsy may be recommended. This quick procedure collects a small sample of the uterine lining for lab analysis - helping rule out serious conditions and providing clarity so you can move forward with the right treatment.

As hormone levels shift during menopause, the uterine lining can respond in unpredictable ways. This test takes that guesswork away.

Getting to know your vulva - and when to get it checked

Here's something most gynecologists don't talk about enough: you should know what your vulva looks like. Not in a clinical way - just the way you know your own face. When you're familiar with your body's normal baseline, you'll notice when something changes.

Symptoms that are not normal and deserve evaluation:

Itching, burning, new bumps, scaly or discolored skin, changes to the labia or clitoris, skin that tears or bleeds easily. These aren't things to wait out or ignore - they're signals.

A vulvar biopsy, performed under local anesthesia with minimal discomfort, can provide a precise diagnosis when something doesn't look right. It's one of the most important tools for catching conditions like lichen sclerosus early - before they progress.

Frequently asked questions