At Heart of Illinois Obstetrics and Gynecology in Bloomington, IL, our providers are here to help. Breast health is an important part of a woman’s health journey.

Steps for Breast Health

Below are several steps you can take to encourage your own breast health.

• Avoid smoking, limit alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight.

• Practice self-breast awareness so that you can alert your health care provider with any breast changes.

• Notify your provider if you notice any new lumps or changes in your breasts.

• Visit your provider annually for a breast exam or if you notice any changes.

• Have your mammogram as often as your provider recommends. This may be different for every woman and is based on mammogram history, family history, and your age.

If you become aware of any lumps, hard knots, or thickened areas, it’s important to talk to your OBGYN in the Bloomington/Normal area. Swelling, warmth, redness, dimpling or puckering of the skin, nipple discharge, or rash may also be a sign of a possible breast problem and should be reported to your provider as well.

Mammograms

We recommend yearly screening mammograms starting at age 40. If you have a breast concern or problem, a diagnostic mammogram may be needed.  Based on your breast exam findings, our providers at Heart of Illinois OBGYN may order mammography with tomosynthesis. This is a technology that uses x-ray to produce a 3D model of the breast. This gives the radiologist multiple images to view from different angles. This allows for a more detailed evaluation of the breast tissue. Our office recommends that you contact your insurance regarding coverage and benefits prior to scheduling any breast imaging.

Our office will contact you with your mammogram results. If your breast tissue is heterogeneously or extremely dense, we will recommend that you have supplemental breast imaging in the form of Automated Breast Ultrasound or whole breast ultrasound. This is different than the traditional 2D sonogram of a specific area of the breast. It scans the entire breast and provides 3D images from different angles. This, in addition to mammography, has shown a significant improvement in breast cancer detection in dense breast tissue.

At Heart of Illinois OBGYN, we’re here to support you. Our team of providers have years of experience guiding women through their breast health journey in Bloomington, IL, so call us at 309-454-3456 to set up an appointment today.