“They don’t even come for free”: doctors are concerned about women’s attitudes towards examinations 0 10

Latvian doctors are once again sounding the alarm due to the low activity of women in preventive examinations. Despite the availability of free checks, a significant portion of the country’s female population still does not visit a gynecologist and ignores screenings for oncological diseases.

According to medical professionals, one in four women under the age of 24 has never been to a gynecologist. The situation with cervical cancer and breast cancer remains particularly alarming.

Last year, Latvia registered about 290 new cases of cervical cancer and more than a thousand cases of breast cancer. However, only about half of the invited women undergo free examinations.

Gynecologists note that the problem is related not only to the accessibility of healthcare but also to attitudes towards one’s own health. According to doctor Sigita Krievini, many women do not come for examinations even when invited for free.

“Doors are open — come in. But women do not want to come,” the doctor notes.

Medical professionals say that some patients still live with the attitudes of the Soviet era, when preventive care was treated formally or when they only visited a doctor with serious symptoms.

This is particularly noticeable among young women.

Gynecologist Inga Vevere points out that many girls under 25 consider a visit to the doctor unnecessary if there are no complaints or questions about contraception. However, it is regular checks that allow for the detection of diseases at an early stage, when treatment is most effective.

Doctors recommend visiting a gynecologist at least once every two years, and not to delay a visit in the presence of any alarming symptoms. Medical professionals remind that some forms of cancer can develop without pronounced symptoms. This is why free screenings are considered one of the most important preventive measures.

On average, about 100 women die from cervical cancer in Latvia each year. The disease is often diagnosed in women aged 30–40 — a period when many already have families and children.

Doctors emphasize: the problem of late diagnosis remains one of the most painful for the Latvian healthcare system.

Against the backdrop of high rates of oncological diseases, specialists continue to urge women to pay more attention to prevention and not to wait for serious symptoms to appear.