OB/GYN?

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

I just have a sort of random question. I've been reading this quite a bit since I first came to this community, and I want to know what the deal is!

Why aren't the ladies under 18 seeing gynos! I was brought up knowing that the minute I started the period, I was a woman, and therefore should see a gyno once a year to make sure that I wasn't going to have any problems. Never once, had I heard that the only reason you go to a gyno was because you were sexually active.

So what's the deal with people's moms telling them that they can't go to a gyno until they get their thang on? Bizarre.

If you find yourself in this situation, what do you do? I mean, if you have a yeast infection or something weird going on, I would think that you need to tell your mom to get you to the clinic regardless of age.

Sorry, just venting.

Comments

[happyfeminist.livejournal.com]

I never saw one until 3 months after I starting having sex (I was 18,) and then only because I wanted EC. Planned Parenthood made me have a pap to get birth control, and from then on I went there. I never told my mom though, because I didn't want her to freak out. She also doesn't go regularly, so I didn't want her to think/know I was having sex. I think it's a real, unfortunate fear for many young women, and why I think PP is so good because it gives women options.

[anwyn18.livejournal.com]

But question was why there is a perception that going to the gyno=sexually active. She wasn't saying it's not a real fear, she's asking WHY these parents have this idea. Personally, it's something I've wondered too.

[luvabletina86.livejournal.com]

I first went to the gyno when I was 15, eventhought I haven't "got my thing on yet".. Just cause I guess. My mom's also a Doctor so I think that was it...

[mypoorfriendme.livejournal.com]

A part of it depends where you are, too, I think. In Canada, (from my own experience and from what others have told me, which obviously might not be true for everyone), most women don't have a gynocologist they see regularly. I see my family doctor, a GP, for everything from the flu to yeast infections to birth control, and he also was in charge of my prenatal care and the delivery of my daughter. The only time I've been under the care of an OB/GYN was during a difficult part of my daughter's birth.

I didn't even know what a gyno was until I was maybe fourteen. I've always heard that if you do choose to see a gyno, it's only necessary after you've become sexually active or after a certain age.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

I've always heard that if you do choose to see a gyno, it's only necessary after you've become sexually active or after a certain age.

I think that's a new issue, too. . . even though i haven't always gone to a gyno, I've always had a pap smear once a year since I started my period. Breast exam as well. I grew up in North West Washington, right new Vancouver, BC. (Having nothing to do with Canadian health care. Just regional mentality.)

[harpseal.livejournal.com]

I'm 24 and i've never been to the Gyno. I go to my GP for my paps and if i get a UTI or something. I've always heard 18 or when sexually active is when you start having paps and stuff.

[mays-rays.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's what I've always heard too. I went to my first gyno appointment when I was 18. I probably would have gone earlier if I'd been sexually active. I think that if there'd been a significant problem down there, that I would have gone earlier too. But any yeast infections I did get were always treatable by over-the-counter stuff, so there was really no call to go in to the gyno about them.

Actually, now that I think about it, I do remember having a problem down there when I was still in high school. I saw a GP for it, but not my normal one, who was I man. I saw a lady GP who worked in the same office, and she took care of me just fine. I just can't seem to remember what I went to see her for.... o_O

[lindsey-nichole.livejournal.com]

I started seeing a gyno at 15, because of painful periods, before I was even sexually active.

I think if everything is normal - then there's no reason for someone who isn't sexually active in her early teen years to go. And unless she is experiencing problems before becoming sexually active - it might be a bit of a traumatic experience. At least is was for me.

I agree that the rule of thumb is onset of sexual activity, or the age of 18.

[anwyn18.livejournal.com]

If everything is normal, all well and good. But the concern for me is more the number of posts I see here where things are NOT normal, and people are terrified of asking their parents to take them to a gyno. To me that is a problematic and potentially dangerous situation.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I mean! I had a tumor in my breast a couple years ago (At 16) and if I hadn't gone every year for my breast/pap exam, I wouldn't have ever known. When you're sixteen, you never do the little breast check, but let me tell you, after chemo/radiation and all that, I do it everytime I shower.

[leave-it-be.livejournal.com]

my primary care physician told me that since i was planning on waiting to have sex after i was married that i wouldn't need to see a gyno till i was 21 but if it was going to happen before i should come in. just before my 20th birthday i decided i wanted to have sex so that's when i went in for my first exam.

*shrug* he seemed very nonchalent about the whole thing since i wasn't sexually active.

[megan0905.livejournal.com]

I didn't go until I was 22. My mom talked with her gyn and he told her that I could wait until I turned 21 since I wasn't sexually active. Obviously, if I had a problem, I would have went in.. but I never did.

[either-or.livejournal.com]

i just always had read that it wasn't necessary until one was 18 or sexually active. (i'm 25 now, and went for the first time when i was 23)

i've never had any sort of problem (yeast infection, etc.), but if i had, my mom would have taken me to her gynocologist, i'm sure of it. or at least my pediatrician.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

but at least you knew that it was available! I'm reading all these things about girls who can't ask their moms to take them because their moms will think that they're sluts or something. What ever happened to the idea of, if you're ill you get treated. Or even, preventative care. Some women just don't realize that something bad is happening to them like cysts or cancer, bacteria, etc.

[audio-slave.livejournal.com]

My mom doesn't really take me to doctors. I mean, the first time I ever got something "weird" going on down there, my mom immediately said it was a yeast infection and bought me a 1 day treatment. It cleared up within the week, but it sure seemed more serious than a yeast infection.

The first time I went to a gyno was at 16, because I wanted BC, and my sister told me that regardless of whether I got BC or not, I still needed a pelvic exam. Well, at least SHE was educated.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

good for your sister! I wish I had one to help me out like that.

First time I had a yeast infection (first of MANY) my mom dragged me to the gyno to get me a diflucan (sp?) pill. . .

[anwyn18.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you asked this, and I wish you were getting more helpful answers. I too am confused that there seems to be a perception that nothing can go wrong gynacologically until you have sex, because it's just rubbish.

I THINK from what I can tell that it's because in a lot of people's minds, gyno = pap smear, and most doctors don't say it's nessessary to get a pap done until you've had sex. Therefore (and yes, this is a leap of logic but bear with me), if you need to see a gyno, you must be having sex.

To a lesser extent, it might also be because some parents are uncomfortable with "girly bits" in general, and tend to think of our reproductive system merely in terms of sex. Cysts and cancer and all the rest of the things that can go wrong are ickky and foreign and unknown and weird, so it's easier for them to jump to the conclusion their little girl must be having sex than to deal with a potential problem they don't understand.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

Beautifully put!

My family is just weird, though. The 'Cunt' book is like a bible to the women of my family.

[notlookingfor.livejournal.com]

In general unless you're having a problem or are sexually active there's no reason to go until you're 18.

[anwyn18.livejournal.com]

But for me the question is more why there are still girls out there terrified to ask to go if there IS something wrong. There have been some posts descibing some quite alarming symptoms from time to time, from people who's parents think they don't need to go unless they're having sex, no matter what.

[emmycantbemeeko.livejournal.com]

My mother first made me go to the gyno when I told her I was sexually active... but that was at 16, so it's very probable she would have made me go soon after even if I hadn't been sexually active. I was planning on asking her for BC pills (she's a doc) even before I started having sex because I had difficult periods, and I know she would have made me go in for a pelvic before writing the prescription.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

that's good, though! Go moms that take their daughters to the gyno!

[krasota.livejournal.com]

My doc and mother both agreed--healthy young women don't need to visit a gynecologist until they're sexually active or 18-21. I started getting paps on my own when I was 18, but not before. I didn't have a yeast infection earlier--didn't have one until a year or so ago, in fact.

I did have painful, irregular periods, but my doctor felt that it was just the result of teen hormones and my rather extreme athleticism. My mother had had the same deal, so it wasn't seen as anything major. My doc prescribed pain meds, which is far more than *any* gyno ever did.

[joliebelle.livejournal.com]

i think that the girls who are sexually active and are scared to talk to their mom about going to the gyn are scared because they dont want their mum knowing that they're having sex. in a way, it could partially be because they're ashamed of that fact.

im 17, a virgin, and ive only seen a gyn because i had a cyst on my ovary when i was 14. i havent had a pelvic done yet because i dont feel the need to do so, until im 18.

sorry for the run-on sentence. cramps are fun. :)

[mays-rays.livejournal.com]

I'm just curious -- how did you find out about the cyst on your ovary? Did you have other symptoms that led your GP to refer you to a gyno?

[moochar.livejournal.com]

My mom's gyno told her I didn't need to be checked until I was 21 or sexually active.

I went to another gyno when I was 15 & before I was sexually active because of painful periods. She asked if I was sexually active, I told her I wasn't, so she didn't do an exam on me. She just gave me some BC pills & said to come back in 3 months & if they didn't help she would switch me. She also told me I didn't need an exam unless I was sexually active or until I was around 18.

I've worked for gynos & they have all said unless their is a problem, if a girl isn't sexually active she doesn't need an exam until 18.

Not that any of this answers any questions, I'm just sharing my expierences & what I've been told by doctors.

[ladybug4789.livejournal.com]

Gynos are *extremely* expensive. I wouldn't necessarily want my dad to know I saw one, so my mom would have to pay out of pocket and go out of the Kaiser system, so it would be $200+

[puckish.livejournal.com]

Why wouldn't you want your dad to know that you saw a gyno? I'm pretty sure he knows that you have a vagina. I mean, I could be wrong.

[vampodrama.livejournal.com]

I'm 24, and I've never been to a gyno. well, I was ONCE because I wanted BC pills, but she asked me about 2 questions (whether I had been on a BC before and whether or not I was sexually active) and sent me off with a prescription.

frankly, with the health system in my country, I only go to the doctors once I'm on the verge of death. seeing how you won't get an appointment before anyway.

I go every year!

[sara-t-05.livejournal.com]

I've had my period since I was 11 and I've been going to the family doctor for paps since I was 14. They told me I don't have to go anymore until I'm 18 (and I turn 18 soon, anyhow). But, I went every year even when they suggested I didn't just because I'm paranoid about every little thing that can come up...
I wish girls were more aware and actually took care of themselves by going every year, no matter what.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!
I am glad that you are keeping your body checks up to date

[puckish.livejournal.com]

Why aren't the ladies under 18 seeing gynos!

Because unless they are sexually active or having problems with their womanly bits, there's no reason to go. Regular menstruation doesn't mean you have to start seeing a gynecologist, although if it makes you feel comfortable, that's obviously fine. The current recommendation (by the ACOG, I think) is for a woman to start seeing a gyno at age 21 or when she becomes sexually active -- whichever comes first.

The deal with some people's moms telling them they can't go to the gyno is that some people's moms completely suck.

[mays-rays.livejournal.com]

Check this out:

" Once you begin menstruating, it is time to get into the habit of annual gynecologists appointments. While you may not have full exams given to you until you are sexually active, there are health issues which are paramount once you begin menstruating, so it is important to have an annual checkup. As there is no set age for first menses, there is no set age for a first gynecologist appointment. If your GP tells you that only sexually active women need gynecological care (something some doctors who feel sexual healthcare is unimportant, or aren't very educated in women's health may still think), and you need a referral, either insist otherwise, or see a sexual health clinic for this care."

From here: http://www.scarleteen.com/pink/sexhealth_4.html

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

huzzah! Thank you so much for the link! I forgot completely to look at scarleteen! I love that site. Helps me out greatly when I am pondering STDs!

[kiffany.livejournal.com]

I was always told that once I'm over 18 I should see a gyno. My parents wouldn't stop me from going...I suppose I just never thought to go.

I suppose I should, though.

[gemfyre.livejournal.com]

I'm 25 and have never visited an ob/gyn or had a pelvic exam.

In Australia you're encouraged to get a pap smear every year once you're sexually active but that's it - and a GP takes care of it.

If I have a yeastie or UTI or any other complaint down that end I go to my GP, if it was something concerning enough I'm sure they'd refer me to a gyno.

I've only ever been sexually active with one person who is clean. I'd rather not have someone other than myself or my b/f sticking their finger in me unless it's absolutely neccessary.

[tealight-rookie.livejournal.com]

Forgive me if this has already been mentioned (I've read most, but not all of the replies here) but surely the important thing here is the girl's right to choose? If a mother (or parent/doctor/other adult) dictates one way or the other against the wishes of the girl, it is abuse - period. No pun intended.

[ilikemytie.livejournal.com]

I actually haven't read that yet! Thank you for mentioning it! (I started this catastrophe of a post, so I get the honor of reading every single reply, which I am enjoying)

For some reason, the girls aren't seeing it that way, they're seeing it as; "If their mom says they don't need to go until 18 or sexually active" then they take it as the word of g'd, not the word of good healthy living!

[jenbys.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I've technically never been to a gynocologist, but my GP does my yearly pap smears. But I didn't start doing them until I was 19 or so, my doctor said unless I was having a specific issue that I didn't need a Pap until I was sexually active. I think a lot of doctors dispense that same advice. My roommate didn't go to a gyno until she was 21 when she became sexually active- her doctor said it wasn't necessary.