The recent cases of Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, the physician for the
U.S. women's gymnastics team, and Dr. George Tyndall, the gynecologist at the
University of Southern California student clinic, involve allegations that they
inappropriately touched young female patients, often while doing a pelvic exam.
Here’s what women should realize gynecological exams, including
what to expect and what's out of bounds.
What happens during a routine gynecological visit?
Gynecological visits cover a good range of topics, especially
because many ladies don't regularly see the other physicians.
“For most girls, I'm functioning as a medical care doctor,” said
Dr. Iffath Hoskins, a clinical professor and director of safety and quality in
obstetrics and gynecology at NY University.
“A gynecology visit is far quite putting fingers within the vagina
and doing a cervical smear.
I want to form sure you’re O.K. overall before I cause you to take
your clothes off.”
So questions may go well beyond the gynecological. Dr. Hoskins
asks about violence, social habits, drinking, and smoking.
(“When a patient says, ‘I only drink one or two every week,’ I
double it,” she said.)
Doctors will ask about any genital pain or problems and, counting
on circumstances, about menstruation, sexual intercourse, or contraception.
The topics vary, counting on the patient’s age and knowledge.
Teenagers who aren't sexually active usually don’t need screening
for sexually transmitted diseases.
Women under 21 don't need invasive vaginal exams unless they need
specific conditions or medical risks.
Doctors might perform a cervical smear, which may be a test for
cervical cancer.
The patient lies on her back and places her feet in supports
called stirrups, and therefore the doctor inserts a speculum to stay the vagina
open enough in order that a swab is often inserted to scrape a little sample of
cells from the cervix.
Pap smears wont to be done annually, but guidelines now recommend
them every three to 5 years for ladies 21 and older.
A breast exam may additionally be done.
Sometimes, but not always, gynecologists conduct a pelvic exam,
which is typically the foremost uncomfortable part for patients.
A doctor uses a speculum to look at the vagina and cervix than
places fingers of 1 hand inside the vagina and presses on the abdomen with the
opposite hand.
It’s intended to assess whether the uterus, fallopian tubes,
ovaries and cervix are of a healthy size and position and an effort to detect
ovarian or other cancers.
When should gynecologists perform pelvically exams?
They are definitely not necessary for each patient.
In fact, the American College of Physicians recommended in 2014 those pelvic exams not be done on nonpregnant women who show no symptoms of
gynecological problems.
The report found no evidence that pelvic exams were better at
detecting ovarian cancer than ultrasounds or blood tests, and there was slim
evidence of success detecting other conditions like bacterial vaginosis.
And it said some patients experienced embarrassment or anxiety and
sometimes didn’t return for an additional visit if the pelvic exam caused pain.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
recommends pelvic exams for ladies 21 and older, albeit they need no symptoms.
But it says the exam makes no sense to screen for sexually
transmitted diseases, which may be through with vaginal swabs or urine tests.
And it isn’t needed unless a lady has begun taking oral
contraceptives.
Hormones from contraception pills can affect the vaginal lining
and therefore the cervix and a pelvic exam can identify those effects, said
Dr. Hoskins, who is additionally chairwoman of ACOG’s NY State district.
She also does pelvic exams on women who engage in “risky
behavior,” like “if she’s telling me, ‘On weekends, I'm going to parties and
that I have multiple partners,’ ” Dr. Hoskins said.
What quite touching is acceptable during an exam?
“Only the required amount of physical contact required to get data
for diagnosis and treatment,” consistent with the ACOG ethics committee’s 2007
guidelines for preventing sexual misconduct.
Also “appropriate explanation should accompany all examination
procedures.
” Dr. Tyndall is accused of using his hands rather than a speculum
to look at patients, and of moving his fingers in and out during pelvic exams.
Using hands won't always be a drag, said Dr. Isaac Schiff, a
former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“There are some cases where you would possibly use your hands
rather than a speculum,” like checking on “a 70-year-old woman who tells you
she has difficulty with bladder control,” he said. But “you’re to not move your
fingers in and out.”
The key's to “do the business you went certain and that’s it,” Dr.
Hoskins said.
“When I'm going to urge my hair cut, I don’t expect her to massage
my shoulders or anything like that.”
She added: “Any time you’re touching a patient, you’re getting to
tell her: ‘I’m getting to be touching you.
I’m now getting to examine this a part of your tummy, or I’m
getting to touch the within of your thigh.’ Your initiative isn't to place your
fingers inside her vagina.”
Dr. Hoskins said that if patients think a doctor is doing
something out of the standard, they ought to not hesitate to ask the doctor
about it.
Should the doctor be alone with the patient?
This should be up to patients and physicians, experts say.
“The idea is that no-one should be alone within the room with an
undressed patient because anybody can feel they were taken advantage of
verbally, physically,” Dr. Hoskins said.
“A person within the room is going to be a pacifier to the patient
and therefore the doctor.”
But actually, other staff members aren’t always available.
And sometimes patients request to talk only with the doctor,
feeling easier discussing personal issues one on one.
Dr. Hoskins said she tries to make sure that a nurse or other the medical colleague is present when patients are undressed or in otherwise
vulnerable situations.
What sorts of comments are appropriate for doctors to make?
“Physicians should avoid sexual innuendo and sexually provocative
remarks,” ACOG says.
“It’s a really serious exam,” Dr. Schiff said. “It’s a really
private exam.
It needs to be purely at the medical level without the editorial
or description.”
Some patients have said Dr. Tyndall told them that they had “perky
breasts,” “flawless skin” or an “intact hymen.”
Dr. Schiff said, “Saying ‘perky breasts,’ it’s offensive,” and “I
don’t know why he would have said it.
” Other comments could be more understandable. Describing the
condition of a patient’s muscular tonus could be appropriate if she came in
“complaining about bladder control,” Dr. Schiff said.
“You might say the lady features a good tone.”
Dr. Hoskins said most gynecologists are trained to try most of
They talking when patients are fully clothed and sitting up.
“If you’re within the middle of a pelvic exam when you’re naked, I
may say, ‘Your hymen looks fine; your labia looks fine.’
There’s nothing wrong thereupon. I can say, ‘Your breasts look
fine,’ but I don’t need to say they appear perky.”
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