Health is a very complicated topic. It not only includes
all the organs of your body, but your emotions, relationships
with others, and your life-style or the choices you
make.
It is so complicated, in fact, that we cannot tell
you everything there is to know. We can however, provide
some basic information about your health.
A young woman's first gynecological (GYN) exam is
a new experience. A woman should have a pelvic exam
every year beginning when she starts having sexual
intercourse, or when she turns 18, whichever comes
first. Pelvic exams are important to protect your
health, and they provide an opportunity to talk about
your
reproductive health.
Parents and their daughters may have
some questions about their first visit:
How old should my daughter be?
Women should have a routine GYN exam if they are over
18. However, women and girls of any age need to visit
their clinician if they notice irregularities in their
breasts, genitalia, or menstrual cycles, if they are
sexually active, or if they're pregnant.
How should we prepare for the exam?
Ask your daughter whether she'd prefer a male or female
clinician. If the clinician is male, he may have a
female assistant in the room during the exam. If he
doesn't, your daughter can request this. Also, ask
her whether she would like you to be in the room during
the examination, or to meet with her and the clinician
for the post-examination discussion. Encourage your
daughter to be open and honest with her clinician,
and to be sure to ask any questions she may have. Remember,
this is a medical professional.
What does the GYN exam include?
The patient talks about personal and family medical
history, and her sexual activity.
The clinician may take a urine sample and the patient's
blood pressure.
The clinician conducts a breast exam to check for
lumps, thickening, irregularities, and discharge. It's
important to do routine breast self-exams between visits.
If your daughter does not know how to do this, she
should ask the clinician.
The clinician conducts a pelvic exam, which can detect
abnormalities in the reproductive organs. The patient
will feel some pressure, but it shouldn't be painful.
Tell you daughter that she should let her clinician
know if she experiences any pain or burning during
the exam. The patient lies on the table and places
her legs in stirrups or knee rests. To examine the
cervix, the clinician gently inserts a sterile metal
or plastic speculum into the vagina. The clinician
then swabs the cervix for a Pap test, which shows whether
any pre-cancerous or cancerous cells are present. After
removing the speculum, the clinician inserts one or
two gloved, lubricated fingers into the vagina and
presses down on the lower abdomen with the other hand
to examine the internal organs.
The clinician conducts a rectal exam, by inserting
a finger into the rectum, to check for any possible
tumors behind the uterus or in the rectum.
If the patient is or is considering becoming sexually
active, she and her clinician may wish to discuss contraceptive
birth control options.
Most important, Relax! Ask the provider to explain
what he or she is doing if you feel uncomfortable or
concerned.
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If a question or problem is urgent or a emergency,
a physician on call will be able to help you 24 hours
a day by calling 508-730-1666. Rhode Island patients
can reach us by calling 888-543-4121.
Extreme emergency - Dial 911
If your concern is not an emergency, remember to write
it down and bring it to your next office visit. We
look forward to helping you to have a safe pregnancy
and a healthy, beautiful baby.
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