Center for Young Women's HealthGreat question, thank you for asking! Pelvic exams are an essential part in making sure your body is healthy, but that doesn’t mean they are easy. Thinking about a pelvic … read more
Articles Tagged: pelvic exam
I am asexual and I never want to be sexually active with another person. Do I still need to have a pelvic exam? If so, what age is recommended for your first visit?
The sexual orientation asexual (“ace”) can be different things to different people. However, in most situations, an ace is someone who doesn’t have any sexual interest or attraction to others. … read more
I know you are supposed to regularly see a GYN for checkups starting at 21, but I have a history of sexual abuse and I am scared it will be triggering. I am really scared to go and have never been. What can I expect and how can I make it less scary?
This is a great question, and you are not alone. Sexual abuse and previous trauma can be triggering, but your gynecologist can do many things to help prevent this from … read more
Do I absolutely have to see a gynecologist at a certain age now that I’m a teen?
When to have a gynecologic exam depends on whether there are any health problems such as vaginal infections, lack of menstrual periods, or other symptoms that need evaluation. Your first … read more
When do I get my first pelvic exam? I’m going to the doctor soon and I don’t want to find out there.
This depends on whether you are going to see your doctor because you are having vaginal discharge, or unexplained belly pain, or whether it is simply a check-up. Most health … read more
Can a gynecologist tell if I masturbate? It is my first visit to the gynecologist, what should I be prepared for?
Your health care provider will not be able to tell if you masturbate (when a person stimulates or “plays with themselves” for sexual pleasure). If your vulva or vagina is … read more
Lately I have been thinking I should get my first pelvic exam, but when and where do I do this? Will I get checked for STIs and whether I can have children in the future?
Most health care providers agree that a woman should have her first pelvic exam whenever she has a symptom such as abnormal bleeding, discharge or pain, or when she turns … read more
Can a pelvic ultrasound tell if you are sexually active?
No. A pelvic ultrasound is a test that uses sound waves to make a picture of your reproductive organs; ovaries, fallopian tubes uterus, cervix and bladder. This test cannot determine … read more
Your First Pelvic Exam
You may be worried about your first pelvic exam. It’s very normal to be uneasy about something when you don’t know what to expect. It’s also normal to feel embarrassed. … read more
Yearly Check-up
It’s time for your yearly check-up (sometimes called annual exam). It might seem strange to visit your primary care provider (PCP) when you’re not sick, but having a yearly check-up … read more