What To Do Before A Gynecologist Visit? by Dr. Chathuri

It is advisable that every woman should visit a gynecologist for a checkup every year and any time they experience symptoms of concern. But when it comes to the first visit, it is normal for a woman to feel a bit uncomfortable and nervous. Preparing prior to the day can minimize the nervousness and improve the outcome of the visit.

Why Is It Necessary For A Woman To Pay A Visit To A Gynecologist?

When a girl is growing up, she passes through several experiences related to her reproductive system. Non-pathological causes that a woman would seek advice from a gynecologist are as follows,

Puberty
Sexual activities
Pregnancy
Contraception
Post-menopausal screening

Since there are multiple occasions a woman would go and meet a gynecologist, it is most important to know about what to do before a gynecologist visit.

What To Do Before A Gynecologist Visit?

Firstly, the appointment with the doctor should be at a convenient time of the day. It should not be scheduled during the middle of the menstrual cycle, because the doctor might have to perform a vaginal examination. If the woman is menstruating, it would be difficult for the doctor to do the examination as well as the woman would be at unease.
The next factor that comes under what to do before a gynecologist visit is, it is best to avoid having sexual intercourse on the night before the appointment. Because sometimes, sexual intercourse can result in vaginal trauma that would interfere with the examination. She should not have any vaginal douching prior to the visit. In addition to that avoid putting anything like tampons, into the vagina at least two days before the examination. This component gets higher up in the priority list especially when the woman is visiting the gynecologist for a cervical screening test.
Prepare a list of questions she needs to ask the gynecologist if she is going for a counseling session. This preparation plays a vital role when it comes to sexual education and contraception advice. This session can be conducted in an effective manner when it is mainly centered around the woman’s wishes.
If the woman is extremely nervous, she can have someone to accompany her. This would lower the anxiety in front of the doctor.
Shaving the pubic area is not an essential component. But this would make the vaginal examination easier for the doctor. And also, it would make the woman feel less uncomfortable during the examination.
keep the pubic area clean prior to the gynecologist visit. You can use water and a gentle soap to maintain proper vaginal hygiene and it would be better to have a bath along with that.
One can read on the procedure of vaginal examination and mentally prepare herself. This will further reduce the intensity of the anxiety during the visit.
Some women tend to worry about the confidentiality of the information that she provides to the doctor during the consultation. The woman should be assured that adequate privacy will be maintained throughout the consultation and even afterward. The doctor will be having a chaperone when examining the woman during the visit.
Sometimes the doctor might suggest doing some simple outpatient procedures following the consultation to exclude possible pathological causes. These would mainly consist of vaginal swab taking and pap smear. There is nothing to panic because they are painless simple procedures.

With the development of technology now you can consult a gynecologist and discuss your symptoms and post pictures via the internet. One can arrange an online consultation with a gynecologist more easily. The cost of the transport arrangement can be prevented with online consultations. Additionally, the possibility of convenient times also improves with online facilities, because the consultation can be done from home or anywhere possible.

If the woman can prepare herself as mentioned above as to – what to do before a gynecologist visit, she will be able to meet her expectations with maximum satisfaction. She will not feel nervous to visit the gynecologist from the second appointment onwards.