Should You Get An Annual Pelvic Exam?

There are many common practices in medicine that are completely useless. For example, it was once common for patients to get a chest X-ray as part of their yearly physical. Someone finally questioned this practice and studied its utility. It turned out that chest X-rays used to screen for cancer failed twice: they often detected non-cancerous abnormalities that led to extensive work-ups, and they failed to catch cancers. The practice has fallen into disuse.
Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News - Category: Pharmaceuticals Authors: Source Type: news