Prevention may be better than cure, but an increasingly unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle makes it as big a challenge as the remedy. Nevertheless, one cannot undermine its importance, so doctors recommend preventive check-ups to take care of ailments early. These are especially beneficial for women as they have higher chances of suffering from specific ailments, such as heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, urinary tract infections, etc., besides particular conditions, including gynaecological disorders, uterine fibroids, or ovarian and cervical cancers. And that’s why when choosing health insurance, women place preventive check-ups over everything else — including maternity and lifestyle diseases. However, standard policies do not include preventative and diagnostic procedures.
Preventive Health Checkups Matter Big-time
Research proves that preventive check-ups can help identify potential health issues before they turn severe and necessitate expensive treatments, thus helping minimise healthcare expenses. Purchasing health insurance plans with preventive health checks has many advantages, as it:
- Provides reliable and valuable health education.
- Evaluates a person’s risk of becoming ill.
- Detects diseases at an early stage and may help cure or manage it better.
- Increases the likelihood of early diagnosis, treatment, and often recovery.
- Makes way for a healthier lifestyle and, thus, longer lifespan.
- Reduces the overall healthcare expense by enabling you to avoid expensive medical procedures.
- Promotes active participation on your part in managing your health.
- Provides access to the latest medical information and technologies.
- Financially supports the policyholder and her family during a medical emergency.
Women need more preventive support than men for various reasons, primarily because they are generally a neglected populace when it comes to healthcare. However, they need it as much as men. Their well-being is often sidelined to prioritise their family’s, or men’s, because of which insurance coverage for them is usually inadequate and inconsistent. In fact, World Economic Forum, 2021 states that India ranks among the five worst countries in the world for female health and survival.*
What Women’s Preventive Health Checkups Entail
Personal and family medical histories are essential in preventative health exams. As part of the former, routine check-ups involve thorough physical examination, heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, blood and urine tests, an ECG, a preliminary heart exam, a lipid profile, and so on. Examinations are also performed for hereditary diseases to rule out the possibility of disorders. Along with lifestyle characteristics such as smoking, consuming alcohol, physical exercise, and sexual health, past medical history (including operations, treatments, tests, and immunisations) are taken into account.
Specific medical tests for women include:
- Screening for ovarian, breast, and cervical cancer
- Mammograms
- Pap smears
- CA-125 blood tests to monitor cancers
It’s Crucial to have a Reliable Insurer
There are no one-size-fits-all tests in preventive check-ups. The types of tests and frequency depend on a woman’s age, previous medical history, family history, and lifestyle. You must opt for a reliable insurer that will provide you with the ideal package, which is not necessarily about more tests but the right tests considering the above-mentioned parameters. For example, after a certain age, it’s recommended that women do mammograms and pap smears more regularly.
Types of Preventive Health Checkups
A policyholder can select a preventive health insurance plan based on age and ailment. Every health insurance company has its uniquely-designed policies, but some of the popular ones are:
- Family Package includes full-body examinations, nutritional, ophthalmology, and dental consultations for the whole family. Additionally, some hospitals provide women’s specific packages.
- Cardiac Package: With remedial consultations, this package aims to determine the likelihood of heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular accidents. This is beneficial for women as they are more likely to get a cardiac disease.
- Diabetes Package: Patients with diabetes can take advantage of diabetes plans to maintain their vital organs under routine inspection and prevent problems.
- Cancer Package: For early cancer detection and determining future risk, especially in women-specific cancers such as ovarian, cervical and breast cancers.
- Paediatric Package: One of the types of health insurance plans, this includes a wide range of paediatric, ophthalmic, dental, and general check-ups for children up to the age of thirteen, which will benefit the girl child.
- Fertility Check-up: Women facing trouble conceiving a child can go for fertility check-ups and receive professional advice and treatment.
Conclusion
A preventive medical check-up is a tool for early detection of an ailment that enables you to stay informed about the changes your body experiences as you get older. Even when someone displays signs and symptoms, these often go unnoticed in the absence of routine check-ups — especially in women whose health is not prioritised in the country. Since early diagnosis and intervention are an advantage, women prefer preventive check-ups to maternity cover.
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