First time at the gynecologist?
November 17th, 2008
Posted by Dr.SkinCare
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Im going to a gynecologist for the first time in a few days, and im kind of nervous….
can anyone tell me what to expect?Firstly they will ask as all sorts of questions about your health, for example your last period, family medical history etc. Then they have you undress and the doctor will do a pap smear to check for cervical cancer and other abnormal cells. He or she will also feel your breasts for any abnormal lumps or masses (not painful). He/she will also insert his/her index finger to feel inside your uterus, again just feeling for masses or lumps. The whole examination should not take more than a few minutes. Try and relax (look at the ceiling and think of something else!), remember that the doctor is used to seeing private bits every day, and GOOD LUCK!Like anything else, your sexual apparatus requires some care to ensure good health. Gynecologists are the doctors who have generously devoted their lives to the maintenance of female crotches. Sometimes they also deliver babies, in which case they are obstetricians as well (ob/gyn).
You should have your first internal exam when you’re 18 or when you start to think seriously about having sex, whichever comes first. You should also try to schedule it for a day sometime in the middle of your cycle, when you will not be menstruating or on the verge.
If your doctor is a man, a female nurse probably will stay in the room during the exam. If a nurse doesn’t stay, don’t be embarrassed to ask for one. The doctor will first talk to you about your menstrual cycle and ask if you have any questions or concerns. This is the time to bring up birth control, if you are (or plan to soon be) sexually active.
Most doctors won’t tell your parents or anyone else what goes on during your exam (unless you want them to know). The right to confidentiality in matters of birth control has been the subject of some controversy in Congress in the last couple of years, but no state has yet passed a law requiring parental notification for birth control. Some states leave it up to the discretion of the doctor, so you might want to make sure that you and your doctor are on the same page when it comes to informing your parents.
After you talk, the doctor will examine your breast and show you how to do a monthly self-exam (to check for lumps).
Next, you’ll have to rest your feet in the stirrups (metal U-shapes) with your legs spread. This allows the doctor the right vantage point to see what needs to be seen. The physician sees dozens of vulvas a day and is completely unfazed by them.
The speculum is a metal or plastic instrument that looks sort of like tongs and is designed to hold the walls of the vagina apart so the doctor can look inside. Having a speculum put in can be uncomfortable, especially if you are tense. Deep, even breaths will relax your muscles.
The doctor will look into your vagina to make sure everything looks healthy and normal, checking for redness and inflammation of the vaginal walls (signs of infection); for cuts, tears, or cysts in the cervix; and for unusual discharge.
Next comes the Pap smear. The doctor will insert a swab that looks like a large Q-tip into your vagina and rub it across your cervix to sample some cells. This sounds painful, but whatever discomfort you experience is minor and very momentary. The cell sample is analyzed to check for cancer or a pre-cancerous condition of the cervix. You can get an abnormal Pap result from a minor infection.
Cervical cancer is very curable if it is caught in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have a Pap smear every year. Some doctors recommend having them every 6 months if you take birth control pills, have genital herpes, or have numerous sex partners. If you are sexually active, the doctor will also take a sample of cells to check for gonorrhea.
After the speculum is removed, the doctor will perform a bimanual vaginal exam, checking your internal organs with his or her hands. The doctor inserts one or two fingers into your vagina while putting his or her other hand on your lower abdomen. By feeling around and pressing with both hands, the doctor can assess the size, shape, and position of your uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes and check for swelling or growths. This might feel weird, but it shouldn’t hurt. If you feel pain, tell the doctor.
Sometimes a rectal exam is also performed. The physician will insert a finger into your rectum to feel the internal organs from a different angle.
Then you are all done. If you’re getting birth control, now is the time to learn how to use it.
If at any point you feel rushed, are not encouraged to ask questions, or are otherwise treated disrespectfully, find another doctor. It’s your body, and you need to find someone you are comfortable with to help you take care of it.
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