As National Women's Health Month gets underway, Wildflower OB/GYN is emphasizing the significance of yearly screenings and wellness checks, as well as mammograms, in maintaining women's health.

With a focus on preventive care, the Austin-based practice is encouraging women to prioritize their health and well-being by scheduling routine appointments with their health care provider.

Dr. Michelle Lu and the team at Wildflower OB/GYN, situated at 805 E 32nd St., Ste. 101 in Austin, are dedicated to providing Texas women with exceptional and patient-centric care, while empowering them with education as they navigate through life's different phases.

“For many individuals, we are often the first point of contact, while also serving as their primary care physician. Prioritizing your health and making sure that you're staying up to date on those annual exams, plus making sure you're staying up to date on your preventative health [is important] as well,” Dr. Lu said. “Especially during this month, [take] a moment to really focus on both your physical health and mental health, which is just as important. Be mindful of taking that moment to make sure that you're taking care of yourself as well.”

Wildflower OB/GYN offers a comprehensive range of gynecologic services to patients of all ages from teens to postmenopausal women. Additionally, the practice focuses on preventive care and provides treatment for various gynecological issues such as abnormal bleeding, contraception and pelvic pain. The practice also offers general obstetric care and has the resources to manage high-risk pregnancies in hospitals.

Dr. Lu explained why scheduling routine appointments is so important for women, especially if they have a family history of cancer.

“We know from the perspective of cervical cancer screening that many of the cancers that we are screening for are preventable. From a breast cancer screening perspective, we have seen an increase in individuals staying up to date on their screenings,” Dr. Lu said. “It is true that early detection can make a huge difference in the course of somebody's disease.”

Dr. Lu highlighted the variety of care and continuity that her job offers, stating that it's what she loves most about working with patients at Wildflower.

"Our patient population is wonderful, and it's particularly special to support them throughout their journey—from early adulthood, through pregnancy and family planning, and into preimenopause and post-menopausal years," she said.

Dr. Lu stressed the significance of various preventive measures, including the HPV vaccine Gardasil, cervical cancer screenings and mammograms for breast cancer screenings.

“We really do try to make our patients feel comfortable during a time when they may feel really vulnerable. In addition to making you feel comfortable during your visit, I think educating our patients is also very helpful," Dr. Lu said. "The patient should also be involved in their own health care, so that they can feel like they're making informed decisions about their own health. As part of patient-centered health care, everyone works hard to ensure the patient feels comfortable with what they're receiving."

Wildflower provides comprehensive health care services beyond OB/GYN care. Dr. Lu said she enjoys building a relationship with patients and treats them like family. She acknowledges that many people may not enjoy visiting the gynecologist but strives to make patients feel comfortable and at ease.

"We really aim to make patients feel like they are part of the Wildflower family. It isn't lost on us that it really is a privilege to be able to take care of our patients at some of the most significant times in their lives," she said.

Interested in learning more about Wildflower OB/GYN? Schedule your next well-woman visit or learn more about the wide range of services offered at wildflowerobgyn.com.

The above story was produced by Holly Galvan with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.