Can I Go To The Gynecologist On My Period To Have Other Tests Done Like The Hpv Test
At your visit, you may also get an HPV test, short for Human papillomavirus. This test, like the Pap smear test, can also be performed during your menses. The HPV test does not detect cancer, rather it is used to determine if there is the presence of the Human papillomavirus, which may lead to cancer, according to The British Journal of Cancer please see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov for more information.
It is important to remember that these tests are essential in the early detection and possible prevention of serious health concerns in the future.
Our doctors understand that your appointment may be scheduled months in advance, so you may end up at our office while you are on your menstrual cycle. According to the American College of Gynecology, at www.ACOG.org, it is a good idea to keep your appointment and go ahead with the test, rather than miss your test because of your period.
Is Every Heavy Flow Considered To Be Hmb
Heavy menstrual bleeding is also known as menorrhagia. This medical term refers to abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding. Although its quite difficult to estimate the incidence of HMB, its somewhere in the range of 5 to 30 percent, according to different sources.
It can be challenging to maintain your normal daily activities with HMB because of significant blood loss. And some bleeding can be very heavy, leading to the need to change your tampon or pad frequently . If you think your periods are like this, talk with your health care provider about possible treatment options.
Various things can cause heavy menstrual bleeding. Here are some of the causes:
You Have Piercings Or Tattoos Down There
Sometimes women will say: I dont want to be examined because I have a piercing or tattoo down there, says Dr. Dweck. But were not here to judge we just want to make sure youre caring for things properly. Having a piercing or tattoo on your nether regions can come with risks like infection or an allergic reaction, so its important to be open with your doc and let them examine you.
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What To Expect At The First Obgyn Appointment
Your teens first appointment wont be like an adults gynecology exam. In fact, most gynecologists wont conduct a pelvic exam or Pap smear for teens who arent sexually active.
Usually, the first few appointments are more for creating a baseline with our patients, says Dr. Young. We want to create an open line of communication, so theyre comfortable speaking freely if there ever is cause for concern.
Conversations like these also can go a long way in debunking schoolyard myths about sexual activity.
During the appointment, the gynecologist will check your teens vitals and open the conversation for questions before conducting a quick external genital exam.
They may ask you to be in the exam room at the beginning of the appointment to provide support, but may ask you to leave when its time for exams or more personal questions.
Finally, your daughters gynecologist will likely speak to her about maintaining a healthy weight, as teens are at the greatest risk for developing eating disorders or unhealthy relationships with food.
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When And Why A Teen Should Start Seeing A Gynecologist
A pediatric and adolescent gynecologist explains how to know when your daughter is ready for a visit, and how to prepare.
For many parents of teen girls, the question of when teens need to start seeing a gynecologist sparks uncertainty.
The American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology recommend annual Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer starting at age 21, regardless of sexual activity. But issues can come up long before then.
Because the average age for starting menstruation is 12 years and 9 months in the U.S., its appropriate for girls to begin seeing a gynecologist as early as age 13, says Melina Dendrinos, M.D., a pediatric and adolescent gynecologist at Von Voigtlander Womens Hospital and the Brighton Center for Specialty Care.
Dendrinos explains more about when and why teen girls should visit a gynecologist as well as what parents should know before they go.
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You Talk On Your Phone During The Exams
Nothing irks a gynecologist more than a distracted patient who wastes their time yakking on their cell phone instead of focusing on the matter at hand their health. “I once had a patient participate in a parent-teacher conference while I was doing her pelvic exam,”Arlene Kaelber, MD, an ob-gyn at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York told “Prevention.” “Your appointment is the opportunity to ask me questions and for me to give you information, so paying attention is key.”
You Sometimes Miss A Few Birth Control Pills
If youre taking birth control pills, chances are good that your doc will ask about how consistent you are about taking them. Be honest! Everyone always worries about this, but its totally normal to forget to take a pill once in a while, says Dr. Dweck.
The point in telling your doctor you’re having issues with your pills isn’t so they can reprimand you, but so they can help you determine if it’s really the best method for you. For example, if you’re forgetting to take the progestin-only birth control pill within the same three-hour window every day, you’re really messing with its level of protection. Talking that over with your doctor can help you decide if another type of contraception will be easier to incorporate into your life. Remember, there’s nothing to be ashamed of. Gynecologists truly have seen all of this before!
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Can A 17 Year Old Go To The Obgyn Alone
Yep, you can totally visit a doctor without your mother. At most Planned Parenthood health centers, you can see a doctor or nurse without your parents, and the same goes for lots of other OB/GYN offices. When you call to make an appointment, the best thing to do is ask about that particular doctors privacy policies.
You Shouldnt Just Deal With Pain
Period cramps and mild discomfort are something we all have to learn to deal with during our periods. But we also have to start learning to speak up when were in painand shouldnt be. Dr. Antoinette Nguyen, an obstetrician/gynecologist and family planning specialist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, tells HelloGiggles, If your periods are very painful and the pain is not controlled by over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, you should go see your doctor.
Dr. Alan Cooperman, medical director at Progyny and ob/gyn at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, agrees. He tells HG:
“If youre experiencing a lot of pain or heavy flows during your period, its worth talking to your doctor. It could be nothing, or could be a marker of medical conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome or endometriosis. You should talk to your doctor if you think something is abnormal, because at the end of the day, you know your body best.”
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Drink Some Water Before You Show Up Youre Going To Pee In A Cup
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 dipstick test of your urine, Dr. Ross says. This simple office test can check to see if you have anything you may be unaware of happening in your body. Finding bacteria can suggest a bladder infection or finding sugar may suggest you have diabetes.
Your First Gynecologist Visit: 10 Things To Expect
There comes a time in every person with a vaginas life that they must start seeing an ob-gyn. I went for my first gynecologist visit after I got my first period, and she just acted like the blood coming out of my vagina was normal, so I did too. When I got to college, I had a few friends claim to be best friends with their gyno. Complete honesty without shame? Sign me up. Talking to your gyno about things like vaginal discharge might seem odd if youre not used to talking about that stuff, but your ob-gyns job is to make you feel comfortable about the uncomfortable. Got a question about a new smell? Ask it.
Before you make your first appointment, we found out exactly what you should know before your first gyno visit by talking to Sherry Ross, M.D., ob-gyn and womens health expert at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California, and Antonio Pizarro, M.D., a board-certified gynecologist in Shreveport, Louisiana.
Below are 10 more things every person should know before going to the gyno.
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The American Congress Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists Recommends Girls Have Their First Gynecologic Visit Between Ages 13 And 15 Why Is That
Naturally, a girl should see us at any age if she has medical issues or questions. But even if there are no concerns, 13 to 15 is when a girls body is changing and she starts exploring her sexuality.
This initial appointment is meant to educate patients and to establish a relationship with them. We discuss menstrual issues, puberty and prevention of pregnancy and STIs . I have found that, at times, girls are more open with their physician than they are with a parent. In those cases, I encourage girls to try talking to their parents, too.
As a gynecologist, I am comfortable prescribing different methods of birth control, including contraceptive pills, patches, vaginal rings, IUDs and subdermal implants. I prefer the term hormonal regulation, since these can help menstrual irregularities, in addition to preventing unintended pregnancies.
You Can Bring Someone With You Or You Can Have Them Wait Outside Its Up To You
It may help, if the patient chooses, to have one friend or family member present during the visit, suggests Dr. Pizarro. Some patients prefer for that person to stay for the examination, if one is indicated. I never ask a patients companion to leave, unless the patient requests that. Patients should feel in control and as comfortable as possible.
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Lets get one thing straight: Menstrual blood does not make your ob-gyn queasy, so if you calculated your dates wrong and wound up with your period on check-in day, dont reschedule. Births, particularly C-sections, are quite bloody, so I can assure you that you having your period while Im examining you is not a problem in the slightest, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale University. Just be sure to call your doctors office ahead of time if youre due for a Pap smearsome offices use an updated test that can separate menstrual blood from cervical cells, but others dont, so youll need to know your offices capabilities.
Brush up on these vagina dos and donts before your next visit to the doctor:
Q& a With Your Gynecologist
As part of your exam, you will be asked questions about your family history, current health, and sexual activity. You can also expect to be asked questions about your menstrual cycle, sexual activity and partners, contraception, STD prevention, pregnancies, illnesses, surgeries, and drug and alcohol use.
Some of these questions will be quite personal in nature but it is important that you answer honestly. Do not let shyness be a health risk. You should have complete confidence that what you say is kept confidential.
Your annual gynecological exam is also a time for you to ask any questions that you may have. There are no wrong questions to ask when it comes to your personal health and the more knowledge you have about your body, the more confidence you can have about taking care of it.
If you have any questions about what to expect at a gynecological exam or would like to schedule your annual well womans exam, please contact Kansas City ObGyn today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 913-948-9636.
is a physician at Kansas City ObGyn. She received her medical degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Medicine. Dr. Newby married her fellow Kansas native high school sweetheart and they have 3 daughters.
Kansas City ObGyn
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Can You Get A Pap Smear On Your Period
Now that you know what happens at a gynecology appointment, we would like to answer some common questions about testing. Can you get a Pap smear at an OBGYN appointment during your period? Yes, you can. It is ideal, however, to schedule your Pap smear test, short for Papanicolaou test, about 5 days after your period, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology. You can read more about this at www.ASCO.org.
Is it ok to go to the gynecologist while having your period and still get a Pap smear? Yes because it can detect precancerous or even cancerous changes in the cells of the cervix, it is important to not miss a Pap smear. Your doctor will normally wipe away the blood or any vaginal discharge before taking the sample. This process will help enable the lab to detect any cell abnormalities in the sample.
Can you get a Pap smear on your period and it still be accurate? A Pap smear test can still be performed even if you are having your period and the accuracy of the test is rarely affected with light or normal bleeding, according to studies done by The British Journal of Cancer please see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov for further research on this topic.
If your pap smear interpretation is inconclusive, you may need to reschedule a second Pap smear test. Make sure and reach out to us with any questions you have about getting a Pap smear, especially if your period is heavy.
Habits Your Gynecologist Wants You To Stop Immediately
- Gynecologists often see hundreds of patients a year and have seen their share of habits they want them to stop.
- Canceling your appointment because of your period isn’t necessary and won’t affect the accuracy of your results.
- Screening for cervical cancer often saves lives so refusing to get tested does a lot more harm than good for your body.
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