Health

The Dangerous Costs of Delaying Women’s Health Check-ups

Health
By Benjamin,  published 12 March 2025 at 7h00, updated on 12 March 2025 at 7h00.
Los peligrosos costos de postergar los chequeos médicos femeninos

The Dangerous Consequences of Delaying Women's Health Check-ups: A Cost Too High to Ignore

Tl;dr

  • Regular health check-ups are crucial for detecting and treating diseases predominantly affecting women.

  • Early detection increases chances of cure for cancers affecting women, such as breast and cervical cancer.

  • Many women delay their medical check-ups due to fears, lack of knowledge, and time constraints.

    • The Importance of Regular Health Check-Ups for Women

    Healthcare professionals emphasise the significance of routine medical checks for early detection and treatment of diseases that predominantly affect women. These check-ups, often comprising gynaecological exams, mammograms, and hormonal tests, are instrumental in preventing breast and cervical cancer, as well as managing conditions like osteoporosis and menopausal hormonal disorders.

    Diseases Predominantly Affecting Women

    Conditions such as breast and cervical cancer have a higher incidence in women. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), about 99% of breast cancer cases occur in women, while cervical cancer primarily affects younger women. Dr. Cristina Noblía, a Mastology specialist, emphasises that “tumours less than a centimetre have approximately a 90% chance of cure.” Hence, regular checks to detect small tumours are critical. Similarly, Dr. Fernando Gorosito, a gynaecological oncologist, explains that cervical cancer can be prevented and cured if detected early, making it a highly preventable disease.

    Why Do Many Women Delay Their Check-ups?

    Despite the importance of preventive measures, many women postpone their medical check-ups. The most common reasons include:

    • Fear of medical tests or receiving a negative diagnosis.

    • Lack of knowledge about diseases and normalisation of symptoms like intense pain.

    • Limited time due to familial and occupational responsibilities.

    Dr. Marcia Oliva, Head of the Breast Diagnosis Centre, explains that “lack of information and fear of diagnosis are factors that influence the postponement of check-ups“.

    Grim Statistics Concerning Women’s Health

    According to WHO, breast cancer is the leading cause of death from tumours in women worldwide, with 2.3 million cases and 670,000 deaths reported in 2022. In Argentina alone, there are approximately 22,000 new diagnoses each year. Similarly, cervical cancer accounted for 660,000 new cases and 350,000 deaths globally in 2022. In Argentina, 4,500 cases are diagnosed annually, and 2,300 women die from this disease. “95% of cases are due to a persistent infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV)“, adds Dr. Gorosito. Given these numbers, specialists recommend reinforcing the significance of medical check-ups and access to reliable information.