An examination by a gynecologist is practically no different from a visit to any other doctor. But why is almost every second woman afraid of him? There is especially a lot of fear when it comes to the first visit to the gynecologist.
Indeed, the procedures that take place in this office evoke not so much physical as negative psychological associations. And by the way, a gynecologist is a doctor-friend on whom not only a woman’s well-being depends, but also the health of her future children.
The only pity is that in most cases the first visit to a gynecologist occurs during pregnancy, or when young ladies notice signs of various diseases.
The first gynecological examination, which the girl is already aware of and is usually afraid of, is recommended to be done at the age of 11-14, when menstruation begins. From now on, girls, like adult women, are recommended to visit a doctor every year.
Why contact a gynecologist if nothing worries you?
There are diseases that occur without symptoms. A doctor should evaluate the health of the external genitalia and rule out other problems. In particular, the patient may live and not even realize that she has an anomaly in the development of the uterus, ovaries, or hypoplasia.
Even if the young lady has no complaints, it will be better if the doctor sees and makes sure that everything is in order. And you shouldn’t wait until your first period to make an appointment with a doctor. There are situations when a visit to a women's specialist cannot be postponed.
Reasons for an unscheduled visit to a gynecologist: • Absence of menstruation before age 16; • Menstruation is accompanied by pain; • The discharge is heavy and lasts longer than a week; • Irregular monthly cycle; • Pain when urinating and cystitis. • Vaginal itching or unusual discharge.
First inspection: when does it happen?
In fact, for the first time, a gynecologist examines a girl immediately after birth. He must make sure that the baby’s genitourinary system has no pathologies. If there is a suspicion of congenital anomalies or other diseases, the doctor may develop a course of treatment or recommend a re-examination in about a year.
Subsequent scheduled examinations are traditionally carried out when the child enters kindergarten and then to school. It is important that all actions are carried out by a competent specialist, a pediatric gynecologist, who not only knows all the features of the structure and physiology of small women, but is also a good psychologist who can calm the child, relieve the feeling of shyness and make the examination non-traumatic for the child.
Visits to a pediatric gynecologist are preventive in nature. The doctor must make sure that the girl develops without pathologies and does not have any genitourinary diseases - infectious or chronic. In addition, it is the doctor who can teach the child the rules of hygiene and self-care.
How to prepare for your first visit
There is no need to prepare especially for an appointment at the gynecological office. But there are several nuances that a young patient should know:
- Before your visit, you must take a shower or wash yourself. But it is important to wash as you usually do. Therefore, do not use douching or other means.
- Don't forget to visit the toilet to avoid discomfort.
Many girls do not know when it is better to check with a gynecologist after menstruation or before menstruation. During menstruation, gynecological examinations are not performed. Therefore, the review is recommended to take place in the first week after menstruation.
Teenage girl and gynecologist: when examinations are required
The onset of menstruation signals that the girl should now be regularly examined by a gynecologist.
It is often recommended that you make an appointment with your doctor after your first period ends. However, it is appropriate to show a teenage girl to a specialist even before the start of menstruation (it is advisable to do this at the age of 12). The doctor will be able to explain to the future woman what is happening to her body, why menstruation occurs, in what cases it is necessary to see a gynecologist, and also relieve possible fears.
Starting from the age of 14, adolescents should undergo annual examinations and thus be confident in their women's health.
What does the gynecologist ask?
If you are planning your first visit to the gynecologist, then it will be much easier for you to know in advance what the doctor is asking about. Some questions the specialist may ask include:
- What is the length of the monthly cycle.
- How do menstruation proceed (volume and color of blood, how many pads are needed per day).
- When did your first period appear?
- Simply show the menstrual calendar. So don't forget to take it with you. By the way, you can use one of the mobile applications to track your cycle, which is very convenient and practical.
By the way, you can hardly shock a doctor with anything. Therefore, a young patient should not hesitate to ask “piquant” questions. But in order not to forget anything, it is better to write down the topics you want to talk about on a piece of paper.
What you need to take with you.
- A small clean towel or diaper (for examination on the gynecological chair).
- Sterile gloves.
- Clean socks or shoe covers (to avoid putting your bare feet on the chair).
- Girls who are sexually active buy a disposable gynecological kit at the pharmacy.
Rights of the child and parents
How do gynecologists check girls? Important features of the procedure can be found in Order of the Ministry of Health No. 1346n (2012) “On the procedure for undergoing medical examinations for minors”:
- The official document says that an appointment with a pediatric gynecologist is recommended at certain periods of life, but the girl’s parents have every right to refuse it.
- Thus, as part of preventive medical examinations, it is recommended to see an obstetrician-gynecologist at 3, 7, 12, 14 years of age and annually thereafter. As for registering a child for a new educational institution, an examination by a gynecologist is always required.
- But parents must remember that examination of their child by a gynecologist is possible only with their consent, confirmed by documentation. It is impossible to refuse medical intervention only when the child suffers from diseases that are dangerous to society, or his life is in danger.
- Parents have the right to prohibit a child from being examined by a gynecologist as part of a preventive medical examination. However, this may be followed by a refusal to visit or enroll in an educational institution within the framework of the Federal Law “On Education”.
- It is important to note that a child under 15 years of age should be examined by a gynecologist only in the presence of parents or guardians.
- The child should only be examined by a pediatric gynecologist. Referring a girl under 16 years of age to an adult antenatal clinic is illegal.
Does a gynecologist check your virginity or not?
How does a gynecologist check girls for virginity? Unfortunately, the fear of girls, and even adult women, in front of a gynecologist’s office is primarily due to the fact that a stranger needs to be privy to the details of intimate life. Girls are embarrassed both by the fact that they are virgins and by the fact that they are sexually active. Here, again, a conversation with your mother is very important.
It is necessary to convey to the child that the gynecologist does not check virginity, but the condition of the reproductive system. Clarifying questions about sex life are needed here in order to prevent health problems in time. For example, if a girl has a delay in menstruation and is sexually active, this may indicate the beginning of pregnancy. While for a virgin the reason may be due to another problem.
Gynecologist and parents
Many people know the concept of “medical confidentiality”. Is the gynecologist obligated to inform the girl’s parents of the fact that she is not a virgin? Yes, if the patient is under 15 years old. If the girl is older, then at her request the doctor should not divulge the secret. However, there is an exception: if the gynecologist suspects that sexual intercourse with a patient was violent, he is obliged to tell her parents about it.
A child can visit a gynecologist without parental consent. The only exception is termination of pregnancy. If the girl is under 18 years old, written parental consent is required for an abortion. Otherwise, it will be considered criminal and prosecuted by law.
Now you know how gynecologists check girls. If this procedure is carried out by a competent specialist, it is not at all traumatic for the child. But it is important that parents are able to properly prepare the girl for it psychologically.
How is the reception going?
Girls and their parents are concerned about how a virgin is examined by a gynecologist. As a rule, if the procedure is performed by a competent specialist, it does not cause discomfort. But the girl’s psychological preparation is important: the mother must explain why it is important to honestly answer “uncomfortable questions” to the doctor, why she needs to take off her underwear for an examination, and why these procedures are necessary for health.
An examination of a virgin by a gynecologist begins with a questioning of the patient about her state of health. If a girl makes a complaint, a visual examination of the genitals and mammary glands is carried out. The doctor may press lightly on the chest to make sure there are no lumps, or on the lower abdomen to check the condition of the uterus and ovaries.
Examination by a gynecologist at 14 years old
An examination by a gynecologist, which is first performed at the age of 14, usually begins like any other trip to the doctor, with a clinical conversation. During the procedure, the doctor asks questions about your health status and current complaints. As a rule, 14-year-old girls are afraid of such an examination, therefore, when they come to the gynecologist, they are not always ready to answer the questions posed honestly and truthfully. The obtained data is entered into the medical record.
How is the first gynecological appointment performed?
After receiving the data, the next stage of the examination is a general examination, which girls fear the most. It begins with examining the girl’s skin, assessing its color and condition. It is known that female hormones have a significant influence on a girl’s appearance.
Then the doctor proceeds to examination and palpation of the mammary glands, during which the presence of suspicious formations in them is excluded. In order to exclude the presence of pathological discharge from the nipples, which is a sign of the disease, the doctor applies light pressure on them. Further examination takes place in a gynecological chair. In this case, depending on its design, the girl is placed lying down or in a semi-lying position, with her knees bent. In this position, the girl’s external genitalia is examined, and vaginal and intravaginal (or rectal) examinations are also performed.
The main stage of examining a teenager by a gynecologist is an intravaginal examination. During this procedure, a special gynecological kit is used, all the instruments of which are sterile. At the same time, the girl should relax and not disturb the doctor.
A vaginal examination is carried out only if necessary: if pathology is present or suspected. In such a situation, the examination is carried out by hand, wearing sterile, disposable gloves, without the use of any instruments. At the same time, the size of the cervix is measured, as well as the height of its standing, and the condition of the uterine vaults. This kind of examination is carried out at an older age, when the girl is sexually active.
The entire procedure for the first examination of a young girl takes the gynecologist no more than 15 minutes. However, despite the fact that such a short and painless procedure should not cause alarm, for many 14-year-old girls a gynecological examination is a test of courage. Therefore, the main task of every mother is proper psychological preparation. It consists, first of all, in explaining the sequence and features of a gynecological examination, which will prepare young girls for this procedure.
About the condition of the hymen
How is the hymen checked? There are no special procedures performed. It is enough for a girl to say that she is not sexually active. Based on the external condition of the genitals and vagina, a specialist cannot determine in any way whether a girl is a virgin. Unless, of course, there are bruises, contusions, scars, abrasions, which already indicates forced sexual intercourse.
The “hymen” itself is a rather controversial confirmation of virginity. People far from gynecology have the idea that this is a continuous film that “blocks” the entrance to the vagina. In fact, the hymen can be porous, “holey”, and visually be almost invisible. And all this is natural, and does not indicate the beginning of sexual activity.
Why is the examination of virgins different?
A virgin’s appointment with a gynecologist is more careful and careful, not because the specialist is afraid to “tear” the hymen, but because the doctor understands how uncomfortable and painful the procedure for examining the vagina is for a girl who is not sexually active.
This fold of tissue itself, called the hymen, is quite elastic. When a doctor carefully examines the vagina, it is quite difficult to “tear” it. By the way, this is why the hymen is not always damaged during sexual intercourse, which is why it cannot be considered a confirmation of virginity (that is, the fact that a person is not sexually active).
Mom needs to tell her daughter how the gynecologist checks virgins. And, of course, choose a competent specialist to examine your child. Since fear of a gynecologist’s office often arises due to the unprofessionalism of individual doctors and their careless attitude towards the patient.
