Smiling women of different ages and ethnicities lined up against a brick wall

Women's Health

With a focus on you at the center of your care, women’s health services at Avera meet your unique needs, while upholding your privacy and safety always.

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Year after year, a woman's body changes. That's why you need a team of local women's health experts to provide individual, comprehensive and convenient health care. You want a provider who will partner with you throughout your care — no matter what stage of life or health you are in.

Complete Care for Every Woman

Make your well-being a top priority so you can be there for what’s most important in your life. Your visit to Avera will involve individual attention from our skilled doctors and care teams, which may include tests like Pap smears, mammograms, colonoscopies, bone density scans, heart screenings and more.

Types of Providers 

  • Certified nurse midwife: Advanced practice provider who delivers prenatal, birthing and well-woman care for women of any age or stage of life.  
  • Internal medicine physician: Primary care providers who focus on adult wellness and preventive care, as well as disease management.
  • Family medicine/OB physician: Doctors who care for your family (including newborns) with additional training in obstetrics for birthing and managing pregnancy, including medications and complications that may occur. 
  • Family medicine physician (also referred to as primary care provider): Doctors who care for people ranging from young children through older adults and including pregnant women. But you don’t need to be part of a family to see these providers.
  • Nurse practitioner: Registered nurse who goes on to complete more education at the master’s or doctoral levels. Their credentials may include CNP (certified nurse practitioner), DNP (doctor of nursing practice), ARNP (advanced registered nurse practitioner) or FNP (family nurse practitioner).
  • Obstetrician gynecologist (OB/GYN): Doctors who specialize in both pregnancy and gynecology who deliver babies, perform cesarean sections, perform gynecologic surgeries and manage labors that are normal or abnormal with pregnancy complications.
  • Physician assistant: Advanced practice provider who is trained at the master’s level through a PA program that is typically three years in length. PA-C (physician-assistant certified) is a common credential.
  • Urogynecologist: Doctors who specialize in providing care for women with pelvic floor disorders, incontinence and sexual dysfunction.
  • Other Clinical Specialists: Additional providers care for women across a broad range of specialties such as cardiovascular care, mammography and breast health, endocrinology, diabetes care, behavioral health, orthopedics, physical therapy, and much more.

Conditions We Treat

  • Abdominal pain
  • Abnormal uterine bleeding (heavy or irregular periods)
  • Bladder issues such as infections and incontinence (urinary and bowel)
  • Breast and gynecologic cancers
  • Cervical dysplasia and polyp
  • Chronic pain
  • Diabetes including gestational, type 1 and type 2
  • Dizziness
  • Debilitating menstrual periods
  • Eating disorders including anorexia and bulimia
  • Endometriosis
  • Fertility guidance
  • Fetal conditions (birth defects)
  • Fibroids, including cervical and uterine
  • Heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
  • High risk pregnancy and delivery (ectopic, vaginal birth after cesarean)
  • Hormone imbalance and related disorders
  • Menstrual pain and disorders
  • Menopause and perimenopause symptoms
  • Mental health conditions including anxiety and postpartum depression
  • Miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy
  • Musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • Osteoporosis (bone health disorder)
  • Ovarian cysts
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
  • Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD)
  • Pelvic muscle pain and vulvodynia (pain in vulva or vagina)
  • Pregnancy and delivery conditions (multiple gestations, preeclampsia)
  • Sexually transmitted infection (STI)
  • Sleep disorders
  • Tumors
  • Uterine or pelvic organ prolapse
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Vaginitis
  • Yeast infections

Rural Access 

Many women don’t get equal access to health care. That’s why Avera is committed to overcoming rural health disparities. Our physicians provide close-to-home care as well as visit outreach sites and conduct some specialty visits via telemedicine. At dozens of our hospitals and birth sites across the region, 24/7 labor and delivery care is available, plus Careflight emergency air transport to get patients to more advanced care when needed.

Whole Body & Whole Life Care 

Address preventative, new or ongoing health needs at your annual well-woman appointment, usually part of your yearly checkup. 

Well-Woman Exam

Take the opportunity to privately speak with your doctor regarding any concerns you may have about your health, like questions on topics like your menstrual cycle, family health history, pregnancy planning and menopause. To get a full picture of your personal health, your provider may cover the following at your appointment:

  • Any changes in habits and activities
  • Breast and genital exam
  • Diet and exercise
  • Family health history
  • Heart and lungs
  • Height and weight measurements
  • Menstrual cycles
  • Personal health history
  • Pulse and respiration

Routine Screenings

Regular screenings and examinations for women can help prevent or catch concerns, such as cancer and diseases, in the earliest and most treatable stages. When diseases are diagnosed early, it’s easier to find a treatment that works while getting conditions under control — so you can live a healthful life.

Screenings can vary based on your needs so be sure to talk to your provider to know what works best for you and your body.

  • Blood pressure and cholesterol check
  • Body mass index evaluation
  • Bone health check with DXA scan (after menopause)
  • Colonoscopy (once every 10 years starting at age 45)
  • Mammogram (once every year starting at age 40)
  • Medication and vaccination review
  • Mental health concerns, including depression, anxiety, etc.
  • Pap test (every three years from ages 21-30, then every three to five years until age 65 if 10 years of healthy results)
  • Pelvic exam (every one to two years)
  • Screenings for sexually transmitted infections like HPV (combined with Pap test starting at age 30)
  • Thyroid function and diabetic screening
Breast Health - doctor working with a patient after a mammogram Breast HealthBreast health differs woman to woman. That’s why routine professional and self-exams can help to prevent or catch cancer early in the most treatable stages.
Gynecology exam with doctor and nurse chatting to the patient GynecologyGynecologic services support reproductive health at all ages with well-woman exams, prenatal care, midwifery and urogynecology, among other women’s health services.
Pelvic & Bladder Health - older woman smiling with folded arms Pelvic, Bladder & Bowel HealthSeek treatment for conditions affecting the health of your pelvis, bowel and bladder such as urinary incontinence, vaginal prolapse and pelvic floor pain.
Primary Care Primary CareA primary care doctor supports a lifetime of health for you and the whole family. Maintain your best health with regular visits, screenings and disease management as needed.

Maternity & Obstetrics Care

Since every pregnancy is different, we treat all patients on an individual basis. Your doctor will work closely with you and in partnership with specialists as needed to provide a safe delivery for you and your newborn. Services also include childbirth education resources, certified nurse midwives, high-risk pregnancy experts and much more.

Prenatal Care Prenatal CareLearn more about common and abnormal discomforts during pregnancy, why they occur and how you can find relief.
Labor & Delivery Labor & DeliveryMany different birthing sites across our region offer expertise and a comfortable, clean environment for a safe and healthy birth.
Postpartum Care Postpartum CareWhile caring for your baby, take good care of yourself, too, with our help during the first 12 weeks (about three months) after giving birth and beyond.

Midlife Care

Perimenopause is a time of transition to menopause and post-menopause, which women experience during midlife through the healthy aging process. Personalized treatment options to help ease the emotional and physical symptoms are available, including hormone therapy, sleep medicine and osteoporosis care.

Gynecology exam with doctor and nurse chatting to the patient GynecologyWomen in midlife see gynecologists for help managing these symptoms, reproductive health and screenings for cancers.
Woman lifting small weights in wellness center Bone HealthKeep your bone health in check with a DXA scan and get treatment if you are at risk for osteoporosis.
Primary Care - group of women in their fourties smiling and laughing Primary CareWhether you see a family medicine physician or an internal medicine specialist, we can help you as your health needs change throughout every age and stage of life during adulthood.
Menopause Care - three female friend hugging and smiling MenopauseHormones like estrogen decrease during perimenopause and menopause, affecting how your body works and bringing on symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings.
Sleep Medicine Sleep MedicineSleep with less irritation. Meet with a sleep expert to get much needed rest to stay healthy and enjoy life.

New Women’s & Children’s Center

In 2027, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center will unveil a state-of-the-art, six-story tower featuring a new center of clinical excellence for women’s and children’s services. The expansion will include dedicated floors for women’s health, birthing and a newborn nursery, as well as an expanded NICU and pediatrics.

View Expansion Project

NICU

Children born prematurely, with special needs or with birth defects may have their needs best met with a neonatologist. Your infant is in good hands at our Level IIIB NICU designed for babies who were born at less than 32 weeks’ gestation or have special medical needs.

In addition to on-site neonatal experts in Sioux Falls, SD, each Avera site has access to pediatric hospitalists, intensivists and neonatologists through telemedicine technology, providing widespread care to those in communities across our region.

Hospital & Critical Care

Full spectrum, 24/7 pediatric hospital medicine and critical care are available to diagnose, treat and manage health conditions with services like:

  • Advanced life support
  • Breastfeeding support
  • Pediatric critical care
  • Pediatric procedural sedation services
  • Neonatal resuscitation
  • Newborn medicine

New Avera Women and Children's Center

Women’s Health Research Now & Into the Future

Avera Research Institute seeks to improve health for mothers and their children through community-based research. Our staff of clinical research experts address regional needs by gaining insight into historically high-risk or medically underserved populations to make a positive impact by:

  • Addressing population health needs
  • Advancing clinical best practices
  • Supporting diverse populations

Clinical Research

Not every expecting mom has access to healthy food, reliable transportation and decent housing. To close the gaps in rural obstetrics care, Avera Research Institute addresses these realities with federal-grant funded, community-based research:

Researchers also conduct clinical trials on many topics, including women’s health.  View Studies

Women's Research at Avera

More Programs and Services

Depending on your health condition, your doctor may recommend additional attention from specialists at Avera. Some services vary by location.

Behavioral HealthMake positive changes and develop new skills and healthier relationships to manage life’s stressors with help from mental health professionals.
Diabetes & EndocrinologyFeel your best with the help of endocrinologists and diabetes specialists to manage diabetes or hormone imbalance conditions.
Heart & Vascular CareRely on our dedicated cardiologists, heart surgeons and vascular specialists to help prevent, diagnosis and treat cardiovascular issues.
Orthopedics & Sports MedicineGet back to doing the things you love sooner. Find relief from stubborn pain, treatment for trauma and help to prevent injury with expert orthopedic specialists.
Physical TherapyTherapeutic exercise and other interventions focus on pain relief and improving posture, strength, endurance, balance, coordination and joint mobility.
PediatricsYour family benefits from expert pediatricians providing pediatrics and specialty care for birth, childhood and young adulthood.

Get the Care You & Your Body Need

Find what you need at Avera with a range of women’s health services for a lifetime of care. Our compassionate providers are here for you, with local clinics in or near your community, and telemedicine options available for patients across our region.

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Maybe a Baby

If a baby may be in your future, consider these expert-backed tips to help plan for and welcome a new life.

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Close-to-Home Care Locations

Contact your local clinic to learn about women’s health services available in your town or a nearby community in our region.

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Schedule Your Mammogram

Time for a mammogram? Find a mammography location near you and request an appointment.

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Read Helpful Women’s Health Articles

  • Simple Ways to Stay Healthy As We Age
    Longevity doesn’t only mean living more years, it really means aging well. For physicians, the goal is for their patients to not be limited in their functions and activities they enjoy.
    October 27, 2025

  • Overcoming Endometriosis: Finding Balance and Hope
    It’s estimated that one out of every 10 women is suffering from the chronic condition of endometriosis. One woman hopes her story inspires others to not let their diagnosis define them.
    October 6, 2025

  • Expert Guidance: Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy
    This week the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the claim linking acetaminophen use in pregnancy and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Professional organizations, such as the American College of Obstetricians, are voicing their opposition to these claims.
    September 25, 2025

View More

Get the Care You & Your Body Needs

Find what you need at Avera with a range of women’s health services for a lifetime of care. Our compassionate providers are here for you, with local clinics in or near your community, and telemedicine options available for patients across our region.

Find a Location View Providers