How to Prepare for a Pelvic Exam

Information may not be reliable

Every woman needs to visit a gynecologist at least once a year, better even twice. This is obligatory. Multiple diseases of a woman’s reproductive sphere develop completely unnoticed by the woman herself. But timely diagnostic and testing can reveal them before they developed into more complicated forms. Among such diseases is cancer and a pelvic exam can literally save your life.

If something bothers you, you should never hesitate to ask for a doctor’s advice. There’s nothing to be ashamed of – if you have a problem and do nothing to solve it, things will only get worse. Self-treatment can often only do harm. Remember – your gynecologist is your best friend and a very important person in your life.

What to Do Before the Exam

It doesn’t take much to prepare for a pelvic exam. Here are the optimal conditions you need to receive the most reliable information that you should try to provide your doctor with.

• Take a shower and wear clean underwear

• Don’t use any intimate hygiene products

• It’s better to avoid sex a day before the exam

• If you take antibiotics or anti-fungoid medications, it’s better to visit the doctor after you finish your course, because they change the vaginal microbiota balance

• The best time to visit your gynecologist is right after your period is over

• Empty your bladder and bowel before you go

As you see, there’s nothing difficult. But you should also be ready to provide the most relevant and detailed information about your health since your doctor will surely ask for.

Questions You Should Be Ready to Answer

To understand your individual issues better, the doctor will need information about your health conditions and lifestyle. These are some of the questions you will have to answer.

• When did you have your last menstruation? How long did it last?

• At what age did you have your first menstruation? Is your cycle regular?

• Do you lead a sexual life? What birth control methods do you use?

• Have you ever had any pelvic inflammatory diseases or STD infections?

• Do you have any chronic diseases?

• How many pregnancies, abortion or labors did you have?

• Did women in your family have chronic diseases?

• What kind of lifestyle do you lead?

Answers to all of these questions are very important. They will give the doctor a clearer picture of your health issues and help give you quality diagnostics and treatment, if necessary. The answers must be as detailed as possible.

After a visual exam, you will have to take a Pap smear and any other tests your doctor will appoint depending on your conditions. These can be ultrasound exam, colposcopy or others. The more precise diagnostics you get the better help and more information about your health you receive.