why?

[pinkbruise.livejournal.com]

why do we have to get a pap before the doc will give us BC? is there some condition that would get worse if we took BC? they dont even wait for the results to come back before we get the BC

Comments

[geminigirl]

You often have a pelvic exam before birth control to make sure everything is where it should be and is healthy. The pap test checks for any changes or abnormalities in the cervix which may need to be followed up on, or may get better over time.

Re:

[pinkbruise.livejournal.com]

right right, but why do we HAVE to do this before birthcontrol? is it a away of controling who gets birth control? and why do they need to keep that under wraps as much as they do? like preventing unwanted pregnancy is a HUGE problem

[geminigirl]

Attitudes towards birth control are often culturally influenced...attitudes in the US are different from in other places. The pap smear ensures that you're healthy. It's sometimes hard to tell if things are wrong with your reproductive organs, or other parts unless they're hurting, so they examine you to make sure you're okay. If you're going to take medication that affects your reproductive system, doesn't it seem wise that you would want to find out if it's healthy or if there's something seriously wrong? I take medication for allergies, but I wouldn't want the doctor to prescribe that unless they knew that allergies were the cause of the problem I was having.

[ninaf.livejournal.com]

Because they can... =)

http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8294/8122/345263.html

The pill doesn't increase cervical cancer but having unprotected sex can increase your chance for HPV which can cause cervical cancer.

[katlynel.livejournal.com]

It's not medically necessary, no. It's basically doctors being gatekeepers for who has sex. It also ensures that people who have high blood pressure or are 35+ and smoke like chimneys don't get the Pill and die from it, and it helps make sure you're under medical supervision in case you're having risky sexual behaviors.

[melebeth]

Because it's the only way to get some women to get a Pap smear done. And Pap smears are a medically necessary preventative measure that protect the health of the individual and the public by preventing cervical cancer. Not one woman in this country should ever die of cervical cancer. But since women don't get paps they do. Requiring a Pap to get a pill is the best way to get women into the system. Yes - it's paternalistic. Yes - if you refuse a pap you should still be able to get birth control. But if this is the only way to get women in for a smear, I can't fault it too highly.

Re:

[pinkbruise.livejournal.com]

i just wish i could schedule my annual pap when i have money for it, and still be able to get my pills....my doc wont even allow me to do this and just trust that i'll come in...i have endo and im in the office every week, i think he just wants my money

[childishdreams.livejournal.com]

You could always try planned parenthood, sometimes you can have free medical care in certain states if it's medically necessary (and I'm sure having endometriosis would be one of those cases).

[perplexxi.livejournal.com]

i firmly agree.

to pinkbruise: i'm sorry you have to wait for your pills. i know it's incredibly inconvenient for you, but for each person who's inconvenienced by this, i'm sure there's a handful of others whose health was salvaged by a required exam. at least if you think of it that way, it's a lot less aggravating -=]

[elfbabe.livejournal.com]

Well, at the student health center at our school, they'll give you birth control without a pap for the first year, because they don't want people to be unprotected, but after that they cut it off unless you start getting paps. Makes sense, I guess, since sexually active females ARE supposed to have a pap every year.

[foureyeddarlin.livejournal.com]

You don't have to everywhere. I know at least in Washington State now birth control can be prescribed without a physical exam, however most docs like to do one to make sure you're a good canidate for whatever form of BC you're interested in.

However, if you are or you expect to become sexually active, or you are 18, you should have a pap smear. It is an important part of preventative medicine - pap smears can detect cell changes that may become cancerous along with some sexually transmitted diseases and some problems with estrogen levels. Some research indicates that women who use oral contraceptives are at a higher risk of cervical cancer (this may be linked to number of partners and risk of HPV being higher in women who use oral contraceptives.) Other risks are:

Sexual intercourse before age 18.
Many sexual partners.
Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), which may cause genital warts.
Smoking.
Women whose mothers were given the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) during pregnancy (if you were born after 1970, it isn't likely at all that you were exposed to DES.)

Pap smears are a responsibility that go along with being sexually active and taking care of yourself. This isn't meant to scare you, but preventative medicine is important, and a pap smear at 18 or when you become sexually active is the standard guideline.

[ninaf.livejournal.com]

It has nothing to do with the state. My doctor in WA requires a pap as did the one in OR.

[foureyeddarlin.livejournal.com]

hmm, I was told at Planned Parenthood (in Seattle) a few months ago that they were no longer required to perform an exam before prescribing BC. They prefer to, but don't always, and in my case let it slide because my previous one was 9 months prior and I had a prescription, just no longer had health insurance.

[ninaf.livejournal.com]

It's not a law, it's doctor choice/policy. PP maybe just changed their policy. The PP in OR required a pap before birth control was givin.

[miyyu.livejournal.com]

That's a good question. Thanks for all the answers.

When I first got birth control (before I was sexually active but because, as I told my doctor, I was planning on becoming so), I did not have to get a pap smear. In retrospect, I think this irresponsible. At the time, I was happy because I was so frightened.