ACOG Issues New Recommendations for Well-Woman Visits

Based on previous evidence-based guidelines, current expert opinion, and the recommendations of a multidisciplinary task force, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has released guidance on components of the well-woman visit (available at http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/ACOG-Departments/Annual-Womens-Health-Care/Well-Woman-Recommendations). Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Medicaid and most private insurance plans cover annual well-woman visits without copay. Accordingly, the task force did not consider the optimal frequency of such visits but acknowledged that annual visits represent an important aspect of preventive health care.

Recommendations about screening, laboratory tests, evaluation and counseling, and immuni…