Going to the gynecologist can be nerve-racking. You're awkwardly answering questions about your sexual history, and you're already dreading the procedure that comes next.
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As stressful as it can be on your end, you might be wondering what's going through the mind of the doctor whose face is so very close to your private parts. To help lessen that stress, Alyssa Dweck, MD,
gynecologist and assistant clinical professor at Mt. Sinai School of
Medicine, is here to let you know what you can stop worrying about.
1. Your sexual orientation.
Dr.
Dweck says doctors don't care if you're gay, straight, or questioning.
If anything, they only want to know so they can give you the proper
information.
"Why waste our precious and limited time in the office discussing pregnancy prevention and contraception if that's irrelevant or unimportant to you?" she says.
2. Your number of sexual partners.
Dweck
says she doesn't care how many people her patients have slept with —
she only asks so she can get a better idea of their chances of
contracting an sexually transmitted infection (STI).
"There
are medical risks to multiple partners, such as an increased chance of
STIs. Knowing how many partners you've had may actually guide my
treatment plan in a different direction," Dweck says.
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3. Whether you've had an abortion or not.
It might be stressful
hearing a doctor ask whether or not you've had an abortion, but rest
assured — they're not judging you for it; they just want to know if it
affects your sexual or emotional health.
"We're
really just focusing on the medical and surgical implications here. For
example, sometimes there are subsequent pregnancy risks or other emotional effects. It's just good information for us to have," she says.
4. Whether you use a menstrual cup, tampon, or pad.
Dweck
says she doesn't care what you use, but it's helpful for her to know
because if you're using tampons, you run the risk of getting toxic shock. If you're using a pad, that is much less likely.
5. How much pubic hair you have.
Think you should shave
before your next appointment? Think again. Dweck says she doesn't care
what your hair situation is like below the waist. Whether you keep your
hair bushy or completely bare, it doesn't change a thing.
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6. Whether or not you shaved your legs or got a pedicure prior to your visit.
It's awful feeling like you need to look like a hairless, pedicured doll when you go to the doctor. (They are the doctor, after all.) But rest assured; that's the last thing your doctor is thinking about.
"Frankly, I don't even notice if you have or haven't shaved or gotten a pedicure," she says.
In short, be like Bobby McFerrin and don't worry! Go to your appointment and just be honest. They're there to help you, not judge you.
