What\u2019s the best way to find a OBGYN you like?<\/b><\/p>\n
First things first. You need to be comfortable with your OBGYN-it\u2019s the beginning of a long and intimate relationship. I always say when a woman\u2019s legs go up in stirrups, I feel as though I am their BFF, therapist and gynecologist, all wrapped into one. Many women are given a list of providers to choose from according to their insurance policy.\u00a0 With social media, Yelp and other physician review sites you can and should learn about the doctor you are going to trust with your health.\u00a0 You can always interview a potential doctor first before you commit to making an official office visit.\u00a0 The most important quality to find in a new OBGYN is that you feel comfortable talking openly and honestly with her\/him.\u00a0\u00a0 If you meet the healthcare provider and you are not comfortable with them you can always cancel the appointment and find one that you do feel at ease with.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What are some ways to improve the experience of the dreaded yearly visit to the gyno if it\u2019s not your favorite doctor to visit?<\/b><\/p>\n You will definitely feel less anxious and nervous seeing an OBGYN who puts you at ease and makes you feel safe and comfortable.\u00a0 Do your homework before making your first appointment so you will feel more in control and relaxed for the visit.\u00a0 Try and get the new patient paperwork emailed to you before the visit so you don\u2019t have to rush around filling out the questions.\u00a0 You can bring along your favorite book, apple playlist or tabloid magazine to relax you while you wait in the doctor\u2019s waiting room.<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s always comfort in numbers. Bring your BFF, sister or mother to come along with you during your visit to hold your hand physically and mentally.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0If you were pleased and comfortable with your OBGYN visit, go out to lunch, see a movie and go home and relax for at least one year until the next visit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What you should expect from your OBGYN?<\/b><\/p>\n The OBGYN should explain to you what she\/he is about to do during each part of the examination. If you have any uncomfortable feelings or feel unsafe at any time during a visit with your OBGYN you should alert the nurse or office manager.\u00a0 Reporting inappropriate activity should be reported to the medical board in that particular state.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n What does a standard ob\/gyn visit entail?<\/b><\/p>\n The standard \u201cwell woman\u201d exam is the most common visit a woman experiences when seeing an OB\/GYN.\u00a0 The nurse will greet the woman and check her weight and get her blood pressure.\u00a0 Not every \u201cwell woman\u201d exam involves collecting a urine sample but this can also be included during the visit. The standard of practice if the doctor is a male is to have a chaperone, such as a medical assistant or a nurse, in the examining room during the physical exam of the woman.\u00a0 If the OB\/GYN is a woman a chaperone is not necessary during this visit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If this is a woman\u2019s first visit with the doctor, she may go into her\/his office and have a conversation discussing her medical history before going into the examining room.\u00a0 Some doctors may have this conversation in the examining room with the woman prior to the exam.\u00a0 When a woman enters the examining room with the medical assistant, she is asked to remove all her clothing including her bra and underwear and given a cloth or paper gown. Most gowns have a top, which opens in the front, and a bottom gown that drapes over and covers the waist and vagina. The medical assistant may check a woman\u2019s blood pressure once she is undressed and before the doctor enters the room. An examination during the first visit with the doctor may include checking her thyroid gland which is located in the middle of the front part of the neck and listening with a stethoscope to her heart and lungs.\u00a0 If it\u2019s not the first visit meeting the doctor, a woman will be brought into the examining room by the medical assistant and ask to undress and get into a medical gown.<\/span><\/p>\n A thorough breast and pelvic exam will then be performed along with a rectal exam if you are 45y or older.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n What does a routine \u201cwell-woman\u201d exam consist of?<\/b><\/p>\n A routine \u201cwell-woman\u201d exam with the OBGYN starts with a breast exam.\u00a0 A woman is asked to lay flat on the examining table and the OBGYN will ask her to put the arm of the breast she is examining over her head prior to the exam. \u00a0The OBGYN will begin with the breast exam using one hand often checking the breast tissue in a circling fashion in all 4 quadrants. \u00a0The nipple is then examined by gently squeezing it to make sure there is not any discharge coming this area. Once the breast is examined the armpit is checked for lumps or tenderness. The same examine is done on the other breast.\u00a0 Once the breast exam is done the abdominal area is examined.\u00a0 The OBGYN will use her\/his hands to check under the liver which is located in the upper right side of the abdomen.\u00a0 The lower abdominal area on the right and left side are also touched or palpated with the doctor\u2019s hands to feel for any masses or tenderness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The pelvic exam is the last part of the well woman exam. The woman will be asked to put her feet in the stirrups at the end of the examining table and \u201cscootch\u201d down so her butt comes to the edge of the table. The bottom part of the gown is covering the waist and pelvic area.\u00a0 The OBGYN will sit down on a chair between a woman\u2019s legs and push back the gown uncovering the vulva and vagina.\u00a0 The OBGYN puts sterile gloves on to examine the vulva and vagina. The outside of the vagina is inspected visually to see if there are any abnormalities.\u00a0 The OBGYN may touch the vulvar area if there are any medical concerns seen on inspection. A speculum is then inserted into the vagina to inspect the inside and visualize the cervix.\u00a0 Once the cervix is identified, the speculum is tightened into place in order to do the pap smear. A broom is used to sweep the face of the cervix and then another brush is inserted into the cervical os. Sometime this part of the same feels a bit \u201ccrampy\u201d.\u00a0 The broom and brush are then placed into pap smear container and set to pathology to be tested. The speculum is then removed and a bimanual exam is performed.\u00a0 The doctor will insert a gloved index and middle finger inside the vagina while the opposite hand is placed on the lower abdominal area to check the uterus and ovaries.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>Should I shave or wax before my first gynecology appointment?<\/b><\/p>\n Some women consider grooming their vaginas as part of their weekly or monthly beauty prep along with their mani-pedi and brow wax. It\u2019s not necessary to shave or wax your vagina before getting a gynecologic exam. Vaginal grooming is your personal choice. The main consideration on how to prepare for an exam is to simply be clean so showering or using a vaginal hygiene wipe prior to your visit is suggested.<\/span><\/p>\n If I have my period, should I reschedule my gynecology appointment?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Having your period and getting a gynecologic exam is not a good idea.\u00a0 If you have a pap smear during your period, blood can make the results inaccurate.\u00a0 Hormonal changes during your period can make a breast exam really uncomfortable and vaginal bleeding makes a pelvic exam messy. It\u2019s best to reschedule your gynecologic exam if Aunt Flo pays you a visit.<\/span><\/p>\n Will I need to pee in a cup during my gynecology appointment?<\/b><\/p>\n You will need to pee in a cup during your gynecologic exam. When you pee in a cup the gynecologist is able to perform a \u201cdipstick\u201d test of your urine.\u00a0 This simple office test can check to see if you have anything you may be unaware of happening in your body.\u00a0 Finding bacteria can suggest a bladder infection or finding sugar (glucose) may suggest you have diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n Will you need to take a blood sample during my gynecology appointment?<\/b><\/p>\n The good news is if you are having a routine gynecologic exam, meaning you are not having any health problems, it is unlikely you will need to have your blood drawn. If you are having irregular periods or want a complete sexually transmitted infection screening, a blood sample is likely.<\/span><\/p>\n Who needs to have a rectal exam?<\/b><\/p>\n No one\u2019s favorite part of a pelvic exam. Once this bi-manual test is performed a rectal exam may also be performed depending on the age of the woman to make sure there is no blood in the stool.\u00a0 If a woman is over 45year, a rectal exam is performed using a gloved index finger.<\/span><\/p>\n What if I have a male gyno?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span>If you are seeing a male OBGYN, you should <\/span>always<\/span><\/i> make sure you have a female chaperone present in the examining room at all times. You should never be alone in an examining room with a male OBGYN.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here are my best tips and advice for your gynecologist visits to be comfortable and easy!<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0Many women are given a list of providers to choose from according to their insurance policy.\u00a0 With social media, Yelp and other physician review sites you can and should learn about the doctor you are going to trust with your health.\u00a0 You can always interview a potential doctor first before you commit to making an official office visit.\u00a0 You want to be comfortable with the doctor you select.\u00a0 Depending on what is important to you, you may want to ask the following questions:<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most important quality to find in a new OBGYN is that you feel comfortable talking openly and honestly with her\/him.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0At what age should a young girl first see a gynecologist?<\/b><\/p>\n Its recommended girls 13-15 years see their gynecologist to start and build a relationship to discuss sexually transmitted infection screening, prevention and other health care advice. The good news is your first visit may be only a conversation and\/or an external examination to make sure everything is normal with your female parts.\u00a0 Unless you are sexually active or have vaginal discharge or other complaints down south you will not need an internal pelvic exam. A pap smear testing for cervical cancer involves an internal exam and does not start until you are 21 years old.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I heard speculum come in a few different sizes?<\/b><\/p>\n Speculums come in small, medium and large sizes. You <\/span>can<\/span> ask for a small speculum if you have a small vaginal opening or don\u2019t have regular vaginal penetration or sexual activity, pain with sex, postpartum, perimenopausal or menopausal\u2026or just because the smaller speculum is easier on the vagina. You can ask to see the different sizes too!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I am so confused on how often I need to get a pap smear? 104<\/b><\/p>\n Many medical experts believe cervical cancer is caused by sexually transmitted infections led by HPV. Co-testing with HPV during a PAP is essential since if you carry a high-risk type of this epidemic virus you are prone to cervical cancer.\u00a0\u00a0Cervical cancer screening has been controversial and not completely agreed upon amongst medical organizations.<\/span><\/p>\n The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) does not agree with the American Cancer Society guidelines for pap smear testing.\u00a0\u00a0ACOG believes you should start screening for cervical cancer at 21year of age. If you are 21-29years old you should get a pap test every 3 years. If you are 30-65years old you should get a pap test every 3 years, or a pap test and HPV “co-testing” every 5 years or have an HPV test alone every 5 years. If you are older than 65years you do not need screening if you do not have a history of cervical pap abnormalities and either 3 negative Pap tests in a row or 2 negative HPV co-test results in a row within the past 10 years.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Discussing your personal risks for cervical cancer with your health care provider will help you determine how frequently you should have Pap smear with co-testing for HPV. It may become an individualized screening tool depending on your risk factors.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What\u2019s the best way to find a OBGYN you like? First things first. You need to be comfortable with your OBGYN-it\u2019s the beginning of a long and intimate relationship. I always say when a woman\u2019s legs go up in stirrups, I feel as though I am their BFF, therapist and gynecologist, all wrapped into one. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-common-questions"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1193,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1192\/revisions\/1193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n