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Women's Health Specialist

Steese Immediate Care

Urgent Care, Family Medicine, & Primary Care located in Fairbanks, AK

Women of all ages need specific health care services, including Pap smears, pelvic exams, and mammograms. At Steese Immediate Care in Fairbanks, Alaska, Johanna Alvarez, FNP, and Matija Meenaghan, PA-C, offer expert and compassionate women’s health services to help you protect and maintain your health. Call the clinic today or schedule a consultation online if you’re due for your annual well-woman exam or have specific health concerns.

Women's Health Q & A

What are the available women’s health services?

The Steese Immediate Care team provides a comprehensive range of women’s health services to help you stay healthy. Some of the commonly used services include:

Well-woman exams

Your annual well-woman exam is an opportunity to check in on your health and have critical health screenings, such as pelvic exams, Pap smears, and breast exams. Steese Immediate Care also offers radiology services, including mammograms. 

Birth control

The team also provides birth control advice and prescriptions, including oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, and birth control implants. Your provider can make recommendations based on your health, lifestyle, and plans to have a family in the future. 

Menopause management

As you approach and reach menopause, your hormone levels fluctuate and change, triggering various uncomfortable symptoms. The team can help you manage weight gain, hot flashes, irritability, and other issues with medication and lifestyle advice. 

STD screening

Steese Immediate Care also offers discreet and compassionate STD testing and treatment. Your provider can provide STD screening advice based on your risk factors. They also provide testing if you think you’ve been exposed. 

How often do I need to see a women’s health provider?

You should check in with your women’s health provider at least once a year for a well-woman visit. While you don’t necessarily need a Pap smear every year, many health issues, such as cervical cancer and STDs, don’t cause symptoms in their early stages. Routine health screenings allow you to get treatment as early as possible.

However, if you have any signs of a reproductive health issue, you can schedule an appointment at any time. For example, if you have abnormal or heavy periods, severe pelvic pain, or pain during sex, you should make an appointment.

What should I expect during a women’s health appointment?

Women’s health appointments are similar to a routine wellness visit. After you check in, a clinical team member checks your blood pressure and weight. 

You meet with your provider, review your medical history, and discuss any health changes or concerns. Then you change into a gown, and your provider performs your women’s health assessment, including a breast exam, pelvic exam, and if necessary, a Pap smear or other tests.

Finally, you discuss any issues and treatment options, from preconception counseling to birth control or hormone therapy for menopause symptoms. 

Call Steese Immediate Care today or make an appointment online if you need expert women’s health services.