What to Expect During Your First Mammogram

The American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) both recommend that women who are 40 and older include annual mammograms as part of their regular health maintenance routine. Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of it, which is one reason mammogram screenings are so important. Another reason that women should have annual mammograms is that a mammogram is able to detect breast cancer much sooner (sometimes as much as three years sooner) than it can be detected by either clinical or self-examination. Early detection offers more treatment options and better prognoses.

Some women who have never had a mammogram experience anxiety and even fear at the prospect of their first one. Most of this fear is rooted in the unknown. Knowing what happens during a mammogram and how to prepare for one can relieve some of the anxiety and fear.

First of all, open and honest communication with your health care professional is critical. Ask questions when you do not understand something, and keep asking them until you do understand. It is also necessary to communicate with your doctor if you notice any changes in your breasts and/or surrounding tissues, as well as if you have a family history of breast cancer. Abnormalities and family histories will likely affect your doctor’s recommendations regarding screenings.

When you discuss the scheduling of your mammogram with your doctor, you should ask how long it will take for the results to be provided to you and your doctor. You should also ask how you will personally receive the results. Will the facility provide them to you or will your doctor? You want the answers to these questions because you want to make sure that you do get the results and that you understand them.

Information that your doctor and/or the facility performing the mammogram may need could include the following:

• Your name, address, phone number, and date of birth
• Any breast disease in family members
• Current problems you may be having with your breasts and what those problems are
• Past problems you have had with your breasts, including breast surgeries and biopsies
• If you have breast implants
• If you are pregnant or nursing
• The date your last menstrual cycle began
• If you have trouble standing or if you have unusually large breasts (which can make performing the mammogram difficult)
• If you have had previous mammograms, the name, address, and phone number of the facility that performed them
• Your doctor’s name, address, and phone number

Obviously, if your doctor’s office schedules your mammogram, they should have most of this information in your patient file already. However, some women schedule their own mammograms without the help of a doctor, and, when that is the case, it is necessary to have all of this information on hand when scheduling the appointment. [It is also important that the facility be certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)].

When scheduling your mammogram, try to avoid choosing a day right before your period begins or one during your period. Your breasts will be more sensitive during this time, and the mammogram will likely be more uncomfortable because of it. You should also consider taking someone with you if you think you might have trouble understanding or hearing the radiology technician who will perform the mammogram.

When you are preparing for your mammogram, pay attention to the clothes you wear. You will have to undress completely from the waist up, so separates are the best idea instead of a dress. (You will be given a special robe to wear after you have undressed.) In addition, you want to avoid wearing perfume, powder, or deodorant, as these are all capable of showing up on the mammogram and interfering with the analysis of the X-rays. If you take any type of regular medications, you should continue to take them as they will not interfere with your mammogram. In fact, if you are worried about the mammogram causing you pain, it is acceptable to take a dose of an over-the-counter pain reliever before the screening to ward off any discomfort.