Gynecological examination
The gynecological examination is an appointment that awaits every woman at least once a year. It is a medical supervision which often generates embarrassment, releases doubts and many do not live it well. In this article we talk about the gynecological examination from A to Z, to understand what it consists of, why it is important, how it is best to prepare, what changes during pregnancy and to offer you many other useful information on the subject.
Video: Gynecological examination, what to know
First gynecological visit
La first visit to the gynecologist it is usually recommended between 18 and 20 years, unless we have particular problems in previous years (infections, absence of prolonged cycle, hormonal problems, complete sexual intercourse). It is mostly one cognitive visit, during which the gynecologist will want to know some information about you (familiarity, diseases, interventions, allergies, particular ailments, irregular cycle of the mother, of the aunt, etc. etc.). But this date makes a lot of girls panic and can cause a real phobia. How to dress? How to behave? How to prepare for the first visit to the gynecologist? In fact, these are doubts that accompany the female universe even in gynecological visits after the first, to which we respond below.
Also read: Important things to do during pregnancy
How to prepare for a visit to the gynecologist
Prepare for the gynecological examination, compared to any other check-up by the doctor, undoubtedly requires some particular precautions. First of all intimate hygiene: it is always good to wash your private parts before a visit to the gynecologist. It is advisable to avoid douching or applying creams in the 72 hours preceding the appointment with the gynecologist, as they could alter or hide some conditions of the woman. It is also recommended to avoid full intercourse within the previous 24 hours to the visit. As for 'peeing', follow the directions your doctor will give you, as for some cases a full bladder is needed, for others empty.
To a gynecological examination it is recommended to wear something comfortable and not too many layers of clothing. The doctor will ask you to remove all clothing from the legs down, therefore, better wear trousers that can be removed easily or a skirt with a Parisian (no traditional tights, more uncomfortable to remove).
La hair removal it is a subjective choice, there are no rules and obligations, but surely to be clean and cared for in the areas that the gynecologist will go to visit, will make you feel more tidy and at ease.
Visit to the gynecologist: what to bring
Every gynecological examination - who is not at the first one knows it well - begins and ends with a interview, at the center between these two moments is the inspection and any specific examinations. For the interview phases it is necessary to prepare by bringing previous reports, any ultrasound scans made in the past, blood tests and everything else that could be useful to the gynecologist to frame the situation.
The appointment with the gynecologist will also be important remember the start date of the last menstrual cycle and its approximate duration.
Complete gynecological examination what does it consist of?
complete gynecological examination, we mean that check - recommended annually - useful for assessing the state of health of the ovaries and uterus. It takes place according to the following steps:
- initial interview
- echography (a tool called ‘speculum’ it is inserted into the vagina to inspect the situation, check the health of the uterus, ovaries and any problems related to the vagina such as infections, small sores and more)
- on request, the Pap test: a screening that allows you to collect and store the cells of the walls and cervix to examine them and diagnose, if there were, problems of various entities (sexually transmitted diseases, ovarian or uterine cancer).
Gynecological examination and menstruation
One of the main doubts that beset most women is whether you can do a gynecological examination during your period. With the exception of emergencies, it is not possible to undergo a medical check-up of this kind during menstruation. The ideal period is 7-10 after the start of menstruation or, in any case, when there is no blood loss.
Gynecological examination for pregnancy
Obviously everything (or almost) changes if the gynecological examination is booked for pregnancy. If, as previously pointed out, a normal gynecological examination it is recommended annually, from 18-20 years onwards, for a complete check-up, when a woman is pregnant she has precise deadlines to respect, checks to be made and, necessarily, appointments with the gynecologist become more frequent. There is the first visit following the pregnancy test and at the examination of Beta HCG (blood test confirming to the woman that she is pregnant). Usually a pregnant woman goes to the gynecologist once a month to monitor the growth and health of the fetus. In addition to routine visits, there are specific examinations / ultrasounds to undergo at specific times of pregnancy:
- nuchal and bitest translucency at the 12th week
- morphological 20th week
- 32nd week flowmetry
As delivery approaches (natural or caesarean) controls will intensify and to these will also be added the so-called monitoring, necessary to detect contractions and monitor the baby's heartbeat.
What to ask for during a gynecological examination
La gynecological examination, in addition to being a fundamental appointment to check the health of the woman and the fetus in case of pregnancy, it is the ideal time to remove all doubts and ask the doctor any questions that haunted us from the previous visit to that day. Do not be afraid to ask even seemingly trivial questions: the specialist is there to answer your concerns, to support you and reassure you. The advice is to mark, in the period preceding the control, the questions that come to mind, in order to have written it and to be able to send it all to the gynecologist.
Price of a gynecological examination
Il price of a gynecological examination it varies from public to private, but also according to the type of check-up that the gynecologist will have to carry out. On average the cost of a gynecological examination goes from 50 to 180 euros.
