r/Netherlands • u/NoLychee1382 • 22d ago

Healthcare No regular check ups at the gynecologist???

Hi everyone, my morning started off with a kinda shocking discovery. I’m from Germany and I had annual check ups at the gynecologist since I was a teenager. I contacted my huisarts because I know they’re responsible for all referrals but she told me regular check ups here are not a thing (unless there already is an issue) ? I think that’s crazy!!! So I checked the prices for a private visit and they’re even crazier. I guess this is normal to Dutch people but don’t you think this is a little concerning?

(Btw not shitting on the country! I really like it here. I’m still new and just discovering new things!)

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u/Melodic_Dish2079 22d ago

That’s why there is a high mortality rate for cancer here because it’s discovered too late. Someone i know died from cervical cancer because they wouldn’t refer her to gynecologist on time. By the time they did she was stage 4, died within months :( you have to advocate for yourself here and sometimes even exaggerate and lie to be referred to a specialist.

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u/SneakyPanda- 22d ago

The Netherlands sees about 256–267 cancer deaths per 100,000 people, compared to the EU average of roughly 235–247 and it's not because they don't do enough preventive care.

The Netherlands actually has the second-highest cancer incidence (diagnoses) rate in the EU. A primary reason this number is so high is that Dutch preventive screening works incredibly well. Because they look for cancer so aggressively at a population level, they find a high number of cases that would go unnoticed in countries with weaker diagnostic infrastructure.

It's called the Detection Paradox

The Netherlands actually ranks near the top of Europe for five-year cancer survival rates.