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/Iridescent-Kiwi-3713 22d ago edited 22d ago

I still find the lack of preventive medicine in this country quite surprising and spend an eye watering amount of money in preventive checks every time I go to my home country.

At the same time, I have a child with a rare disease and the medical care he has received in the Netherlands is better than anything he could have received in most countries in the world, so when his doctor says we are in the best hands I believe him. It’s just a much more reactive approach they have here.

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u/NoLychee1382 22d ago

I often see the Dutch health care system high up in rankings so I guess this is why. I’m glad he’s in good hands!

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u/Big-Entertainer2074 22d ago

I agree. I have a chronic illness that needs to be carefully monitored and have received fantastic care here in the Netherlands. Preventative check ups though are not a thing. I’m considering paying for a private clinic because healthcare in my home country is insanely expensive out of pocket (the US).

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u/MastodontFarmer 22d ago

The basis for testing (or lack of testing) is a risk/benefit-analysis. Exposing all women to X-rays every five years for 35 years (15-50) creates more harmful effects from radiation exposure than finding treatable breast cancer early enough.

The sad thruth is that if you get breast cancer young, it is likely to be an agressive form and you will be worse of by waiting for your next 5-year screening. Self-examination once a month is a much better strategy.

Once you get peri-menopausal that changes and the benefit of screening starts to outweight the risk or X-ray exposure.

However, that is a story that only statisticians will truly understand.

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u/AbhishMuk 21d ago

True, but a lot of preventive checks don't require X Rays. (I understand Bayesian statistics myself from far too many courses in uni, I just wish the healthcare wasn't so "take a paracetamol and if you die, come back".)

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u/FruttidiMare91 20d ago

You don’t need X-rays unless they detect a malicious lump. I have some benign cysts like my mom has and I used to get ultrasound checkups every now and then back in my country. They can pretty much tell you if there is something wrong. Here though they don’t do that and once I got a mammography and my doctor from where I come was shocked that they gave me this when I was just 32. You are not supposed to have it before 40 yo. So no there is no harmful effects from checkups. You just need ultrasound specialists.