GENERAL QUESTIONS |  COMMON GYNECOLOGICAL QUESTIONS

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Is Dr. Mace-Motta a female physician?
Yes, she is.

What do the initials DO and FACOOG mean?
A DO is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. FACOOG indicates her Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Obstetricians and Gynecologists affiliation and signifies her board certification.

What insurance plans is she contracted with?
Dr. Mace-Motta is affiliated with most of the major insurance plans. Please check with your member services department for the most updated providers for your individual plan.

What are your office hours?
Our office hours are Monday through Thursday 7:15AM to 4:00PM. Appointments are scheduled from 7:15AM to 3:30PM.

How soon can I schedule a visit?
Our office will accommodate you as quickly as possible. Urgent medical concerns have priority in scheduling over routine office visits. It is in your best interest to provide as much information as possible when scheduling your appointment to allow the necessary time to address your needs. There is normally about a 2 week waiting period for routine exams.

What if I need to reach someone after hours or on weekends?
If you have a life threatening emergency call 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency facility. Our main number 817-873-1210 is answered 24 hours a day. After hours, our answering service will take your information and have the appropriate healthcare provider return your call. Please have the number of your pharmacy available for the doctor when your call is returned.

What do I need to bring on my first visit?
You will need verifiable insurance information and a driver’s license (or another form of picture identification). You can download new patient paperwork from this website and complete prior to your visit. We find that having the time to consider any problems prior to your visit helps us provide a comprehensive assessment for you. If not, you will need to arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to complete the paperwork in the office. It will be helpful for you to bring a list of medications you are currently taking, dates of previous hospital admissions/surgeries and recent lab or test results. On your first visit we ask that you arrive 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to allow us time to compile your chart. We strive to run “on time” for all our patients, however, medical emergencies and urgent calls can not be predicted.

back to top

COMMON GYNECOLOGICAL QUESTIONS

What is a Well Woman Exam and how long does it take?
Routine well woman exams consist of a breast exam, pelvic exam, Pap smear with HPV screening, rectal exam after age 40, bone density screening after age 50 and mammography after age 35. Complaints and other issues are not addressed at a well woman exam. A well woman exam usually takes 30 minutes.

What is a Pap smear?
A Pap smear is a test done during a pelvic exam to check for unusual changes in the cells of the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Abnormal cells can develop into cancer if not detected and treated. There are no signs or symptoms related to early cervical cancer so a yearly pelvic exam of the female sex organs and a Pap smear are essential. Cervical cancer is preventable and curable if detected early. Pap smears have reduced deaths from cervical cancer in the United States by 70% over the past 50 years.

What causes an abnormal Pap smear?
Various factors may result in abnormal Pap smear results. Generally, these factors are not signs of a problem in your cervix. You can have an abnormal Pap smear because:

• The sample does not show the cells clearly
• You have a mild infection that can be easily treated or will go away on its own
• You have HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) infection. HPV is a very common virus. It is passed from the skin on one person to another during sexual contact. More than 100 different types of HPV exist today, most of which cause no trouble. However, some types cause genital warts or bumps on the skin around the penis, vagina or anus that are easily detected. Warts can be treated. A few types of HPV may slowly lead to cancer of the cervix if left untreated. These types do not cause warts or bumps you can see or feel, which makes getting a Pap smear with HPV screening once a year vital your health. Most women who have HPV do not develop cancer, but some do. The good news is that cervical cancer can be cured if it is found and treated early!

What happens if I have an abnormal Pap smear?
It’s difficult to determine you have a serious health problem from just one abnormal Pap result. Depending on the pathology of your Pap smear, Dr. Mace-Motta will generally ask that you come back in three to six months for a repeat Pap smear. She may also schedule you for a colposcopy, an in-office procedure that allows Dr. Mace-Motta to visually see abnormal lesions or suspicious tissue upon examination. A biopsy is usually done at this time. In many cases your follow-up Pap smear will be normal. Often the causes of an abnormal result are easily treatable. Dr. Mace-Motta will discuss your individual results and may recommend additional tests or treatment.

What is Menopause?
Menopause occurs when menstruation stops permanently either by surgical intervention or by the natural aging process. It is actually the last stage of a gradual process that begins in your 30’s. During reproductive years, hormones produced in your ovaries and in the pituitary gland in your brain control the monthly cycle of ovulation. Estrogen and progesterone are the two most commonly known of these hormones. After age 30 fertility gradually declines. The years right before your menstrual periods stop permanently are called perimenopause. It’s a transition marked by uneven rising and falling of hormone levels. This hormone roller coaster and your body’s need to constantly readjust to the changes are thought to be responsible for some of the symptoms of perimenopause.

What happens at Menopause?
Experience varies for each woman as they approach menopause. Some symptoms may include:

• Irregular menstrual cycle – periods may occur closer together or farther apart. Some women go several months without a period and then resume regular cycles for awhile.
• Hot flashes – The intensity, duration and frequency varies widely among women. These “hot flashes” usually subside in a year or two.
• Sleep disturbance – Insomnia is a frequent problem during menopause.
• Mood changes – Mood swings, depression and irritability often occur in perimenopause.
• Vaginal problems – Vaginal tissues may become thin and lose elasticity and lubrication, making intercourse less comfortable.
• Decreasing fertility – As ovulation becomes erratic, your ability to become pregnant decreases.
• Skin changes – Your skin may become thinner, less elastic and more prone to dryness and wrinkling.

Are there any long-term changes associated with Menopause?

• Risk for osteoporosis, a bone disease in which bones become thinner, more porous and weaker, increase after menopause because of the role estrogen plays in bone formation. Your bones are constantly changing, with new bone being formed and old bone being broken down. As your estrogen level declines at menopause and beyond, you lose bone more quickly than it is replaced. Although weight-bearing exercise and adequate calcium and vitamin D intake may help, a highly effective way to prevent or slow osteoporosis is to combine those measures with hormone replacement therapy. There may be contraindications to hormone replacement therapy and Dr. Mace-Motta will discuss your individual needs.
• Reduced estrogen levels can cause the tissue lining the urethra to become thin and bladder support to be reduced. Many women beyond menopause develop urinary incontinence, which is defined as the involuntary loss of urine sufficient enough to result in an impaired quality of life for the individual. This type of incontinence is called stress incontinence.
• You are at risk for weight gain during menopause when your body’s metabolism tends to slow.

Can Menopause affect sexual function?
Some women notice that menopause brings a gradual decline in the ability to become sexually aroused. Several factors, including hormone changes, stress, painful intercourse and how you view the aging process may be involved. As estrogen levels decrease, vaginal tissue becomes thinner, dryer and less elastic. Several ways to minimize sexual problems related to menopause include use of a lubricant such as K-Y jelly and use of an estrogen cream to increase blood flow to the vagina. Staying sexually active and regular sexual stimulation helps by increasing vaginal blood flow, keeping tissues supple.

back to top

The information and opinions presented on this website are intended for educational purposes only and are not to be used for diagnosis and treatment, or a substitute for professional medical advice.

If you have a problem or specific medical condition,we always recommend that you see your doctor for diagnosis, treatment, and continuing care. Information provided by these web pages or any links to other web pages does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship between you and Dr. Mace-Motta.