Women's Health

The Nurse Practitioners at Brady Health Center are committed to providing quality health care for the women attending Frostburg State University.

Mary Tola, CRNP, MS
Darlene Smith, CRNP, MS

On this Page:

• Services
• STI Testing
• Emergency Contraception
• PAP Smears

Services

For questions and answers about contraceptive care at Brady Heath, click here

To download and print the Women's Health History form, click here

Services Available on Site at Brady Health Care with Nurse Practitioners include:

• Pap Smear and Annual Pelvic Exams
• Breast Exams
• Pregnancy Testing
• Care and support for women with menstrual problems
• Treatment of Vaginitis
• Treatment Urinary Tract Infection
• Treatment of HPV
• Emergency Contraceptive Pills
• Contraceptive Management
  • Birth Control Pill
  • Depo-Provera Injections
  • Condoms
  • Foam/VCF film
  • Birth Control Patch
  • NUVA Ring
• STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) testing
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis
  • Herpes culture, if lesions present and if clinically indicated.
  • HIV testing

Referral to Community Resources for:

• HIV testing
• Contraceptive Services
• Obstetrical Care
• Specialized Gynecologic Procedures

Counseling Services

• Support and information for negotiating safer sex and choosing abstinence
• Assistance in choosing a Contraceptive Method
• Pregnancy testing and options counseling and referrals
• General Health Concerns

First Time Visits

A first time appointment for an annual exam will be 45 minutes long. When the appointment is scheduled, a medical history form, pertinent information and brochures will be provided. When you arrive for a pelvic exam, the Nurse Practitioner will review your medical history form. Be sure to mention any specific symptoms you have and ask questions about any special concerns. If you are not sexually active, this is an opportunity for you to become well informed before having to make decisions. If birth control is your primary concern, a contraceptive program will be tailored to meet your individual needs. If you are concerned about sexually transmitted diseases, you can ask the clinician to discuss your concerns. She will take your blood pressure and examine your neck, lungs, heart, breasts, and abdomen and the Pelvic Exam will follow. In your packet, the brochure "Your First (or twenty-third) Pelvic Exam will help you to be prepared. The Nurse Practitioners are committed to making your exam a positive experience.

Confidentiality

Any information regarding services and appointments is kept strictly confidential. This information is not available to family, friends or administration without your written authorization.

STI Testing

The following sexually transmitted infections screening is available at Brady Health Center:

• Syphilis (Blood Sample)
• Chlamydia (Urethral or Cervical Swab in females)
• HIV (Blood Sample)
• Gonorrhea (Urethral or urine sample in males or Cervical Swab in females)
• Hepatitis B and C (Blood Sample)
• Trichomoniasis (microscopic examination)
• Genital Warts (HPV) (Visual inspection and Pap Smear)
• Herpes Simplex (if lesions present and patient symptomatic)*

* Screening blood tests for Herpes Simplex Viruses are available and type specific testing can be ordered. The blood specimen must be sent out to a private lab and billing will be from the lab to the student or the student's insurance. About 80% of the general population in the United States will test positive for HSV-I and 20% for HSV-2. Usually HSV-I affects areas above the waist, causing cold sores or fever blisters, and HSV-2 affects areas below the waist, causing genital herpes. But both viruses can cause outbreaks in either area. Therefore, blood testing does not always clarify what is going on in a particular individual.

Condoms

A WORD OF CAUTION: Condoms are an imperfect prevention for Herpes and Genital Warts. A large number of individuals will have lesions in the genital area in areas not protected by a condom from exposure. Oral sex without protection is another way of transmitting herpes.

Emergency Contraception

PAP Smears

The Pap test is a routine part of a female examination. New guidelines have recently been published (August 2003) by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for the timing of the initial Pap smear. Cervical cancer screening should begin approximately 3 years after the onset of vaginal intercourse, but no later than age 21. For the highest-risk teens, clinicians may choose to initiate Pap screening sooner than 3 years after vaginal intercourse onset. Once begun, having regular Pap smear becomes a life-long habit.

For the most accurate Pap results, the following are suggested:

1. Abstain from sexual intercourse for 12 hours before a Pap test. Semen can interfere with test results and intercourse may cause microscopic vaginal tears.
2. Schedule the Pap test in the middle of the menstrual cycle. Bleeding during the menstrual period can obscure cells on the slide.
3. Postpone your Pap test if you have an active yeast infection. Inflammation from the infection can mask dysplastic cells on your cervix.
4. Don't douche or wear a tampon for at least 72 hours before the test. These can reduce the number of cells on your cervix.
5. You will receive your Pap test results in the mail approximately two weeks after the test. Be sure we have your correct address. The notification will include results of the test and any other pertinent information.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call our office at 301-687-4310.