Read the article here.
This is a MUST READ article for all women. What is referred to as the cornerstone of gynecology, the Annual Exam, has just been outed as completely unnecessary and without any evidence to support it in low risk, asymptomatic women. The article notes reason ACOG has been holding onto it as a 'logical procedure' even though they knew there was no reason according to many years of research, is because 'it can build the patient-doctor relationship.' REALLY?!?!?! It kinda sounds like billions of vaginas have been violated without any purpose, our bodies simply learning tools, while our psyche was often confused over it and negatively effected - we were sometimes embarrassed, humiliated, and hurt. Victims of sexual abuse submitting to speculums and fingers under the premise that it was not just good for their health but necessary!?!?! Er! Maybe next time we should ask our doc if we can examine his/her genitalia and internal organs...ya know, to help deepen our doc-patient relationship.
I imagine that some docs will gladly accept the recommended change in care...many do not want to be up in your vagina actually, especially if it's unnecessary. But, some will really try to hold on to this procedure, for one reason or another I imagine. As a woman and doula, with my own experiences and watching/hearing my clients experiences' with their care providers, I think the the GYN-patient relationship could be better fostered by dialogue during that annual 'check up' in the office. Hopefully with time, we will learn that someone doesn't always have to 'DO' something 'to' us in order to serve us as a care provider.
This is a MUST READ article for all women. What is referred to as the cornerstone of gynecology, the Annual Exam, has just been outed as completely unnecessary and without any evidence to support it in low risk, asymptomatic women. The article notes reason ACOG has been holding onto it as a 'logical procedure' even though they knew there was no reason according to many years of research, is because 'it can build the patient-doctor relationship.' REALLY?!?!?! It kinda sounds like billions of vaginas have been violated without any purpose, our bodies simply learning tools, while our psyche was often confused over it and negatively effected - we were sometimes embarrassed, humiliated, and hurt. Victims of sexual abuse submitting to speculums and fingers under the premise that it was not just good for their health but necessary!?!?! Er! Maybe next time we should ask our doc if we can examine his/her genitalia and internal organs...ya know, to help deepen our doc-patient relationship.
I imagine that some docs will gladly accept the recommended change in care...many do not want to be up in your vagina actually, especially if it's unnecessary. But, some will really try to hold on to this procedure, for one reason or another I imagine. As a woman and doula, with my own experiences and watching/hearing my clients experiences' with their care providers, I think the the GYN-patient relationship could be better fostered by dialogue during that annual 'check up' in the office. Hopefully with time, we will learn that someone doesn't always have to 'DO' something 'to' us in order to serve us as a care provider.
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