Having regular gynecological exams is very important for every woman. If there is anything to be concerned about, catching it early can make all the difference.
Before the Examination
Step 1
Shower the night before the scheduled exam. Do not wash the vaginal area.
Step 2
Do not introduce anything to the vagina beforehand, including prescribed medical treatments such as creams. This also includes the insertion of tampons.
Step 3
Do not use a female vaginal spray before an exam.
Step 4
Do not have sexual intercourse 24 hours before the gynecological exam.
The Examination
- Empty your bowels to avoid flatulence.
- Empty your bladder before the exam.
- Weight,blood pressure and possibly height will be checked.
- Medical history: Expect a detailed medical history, if this is your first visit to the medical office.
- Remove clothing and place them neatly on a chair or table once the medical provider leaves the examination room. Both upper and lower exam gowns will be used during the gynecological exam. Change your clothing and put on both gowns. The upper gown will have an open front. Don the gown so the opening is in the front so it is easy for the provider to examine the breasts. The lower gown is usually draped across your legs until it is time for the exam.
- Breast exam: The provider will examine the breasts.
- Abdominal exam: The provider will palpate (examine) the abdominal area. Tell the provider, if you feel any pain or tenderness during this part of the exam.
- Sit in or on the examination table or chair. There will be stirrups for you to sit your heels in that will open your legs. This is to make it easy for the provider to examine you, and can be a strange position to get used to. Try to relax as much as you can.
- Speculum insertion: The provider will insert a speculum into the vagina to assist in the vaginal exam. Samples will be taken and placed on a slide. A fixative is normally sprayed on the slide to preserve the sample. The slide is sent to a pathologist for review.
- Rectal Exam: The medical provider may perform a rectal exam to check for internal problems.
Follow Up Procedures
- The following procedures may follow a routine gynecological exam. These are not part of the routine examination but are used to rule out any potentially abnormal conditions. Most of these procedures are done by a gynecologist while the routine gynecological exam can be done by a nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, physician's assistant or family practice doctor.
- Colposcopy - The viewing of the vagina with an instrument called a colposcope.
- Cone biopsy - Minor operation taking a cone shaped piece of cervix.
- D and C - Dilatation and curretage.
- Ultrasound examination of the pelvic/vaginal area using a special probe that is inserted into the vagina. A technician usually does this procedure in the radiology department. The results are sent to the medical provider.
Tips
- Make sure to let the doctor know if this is your first exam. They'll take it slowly and explain what is going on.
- Naturally, (if this is your first exam,) you might feel a little tense. Because the vagina is surrounded by muscles that can contract or relax, the exam can be more comfortable if you try to stay calm and relax the muscles in that area. If you feel like you're tensing up the muscles in your vagina, try breathing deeply or doing some breathing exercises to help you stay relaxed. Sometimes humming your favorite song or making small talk can distract you and allow you to feel more relaxed.
- Expect a gynecological exam every three years unless there is an abnormal medical condition.
- Mature women may have tests done for cholesterol and other lab tests, as needed, if their primary doctor does the gynecological exam.
- Be honest when answering all questions whether it be about drug usage, previous abortions or risky sexual behavior.
- Be prepared to answer when you had your last menstrual cycle.
- Plan to have your gynecological exam when you are not having your period. Sometimes this gets tricky when going through menopause or if this is your first time and your periods are not yet coming regularly, but do your best to schedule the exam when you are not bleeding.
- You may have been advised to reschedule the exam if you start your period - however, some exams should go ahead even while bleeding, such as an examination following an operation to remove mutated cells.
- Some women find that they are more comfortable with a female gynecologist.
- A breast exam is sometimes also performed so do not have on sticky (or any) deodorant. You can bring it with you to apply after the exam.
- Scheduling the exam early in the day helps keep you fresh.
- Be honest with your doctor even if embarrassed. Any information you can give about what may be hurting or bothering you helps him/her diagnose. Your input is very important.
- Before the appointment, write down any questions you may have for your doctor... and don't forget to take your list.
- Wear pants or a skirt and top to the medical appointment. They are easy to remove. A dress makes things a bit trickier.
- Keep your socks on, if your feet are cold.
- This is not an exam like in school. You will not be graded on the results. Don't be worried.
- Read "The Vagina Monologues" by Eve Ensler - it could help you to feel more comfortable about your vagina, as well as discussing it and having it inspected. Make sure you read "My Vagina is Angry", which is a short and humourous account of one woman's feelings about vaginal exams.
- If this is your first, try reading the information from this website: http://kidshealth.org/teen/sexual_health/girls/obgyn.html#
Warnings
- Don't go somewhere else in your head if you are embarrassed during the exam. Be present. This is your time with your doctor, so be "there".
- Make sure to be perfectly honest, otherwise, problems could arise.
- If this is your first time, and for some reason you can't involve your parents, you should take advantage of health clinics like Planned Parenthood or your local teen clinic. These clinics have fully trained staff who often can care for you at a lower cost and respect your need for confidentiality. Each state has different guidelines on which medical issues teens can get confidential care for. Your doctor should be able to explain these issues to you.
