Every wondered what your GYNO was thinking or what kind of care your gynecologist gets? Here are some tips!
- Don't worry about shaving your legs. Really, If it is winter we probably haven't shaved ours either. We don't look at your legs and if you haven't shaved it really doesn't register with us. Really!
- Be careful about the shoes you wear. Why? Some of those cute summer shoes when worn without socks or nylons can produce a pretty distinctive odor. During an exam your feet are on either side of us, so any foot odor is coming to us in stereo.
- Do not have sex 48 hours before your exam. Sperm and semen can hang around for 48 hours in the vagina. Enough said!
- If you are on your period call to speak with a nurse and find out if you should come. If it is for a Pap smear and your doctor uses a liquid based method it won't be a problem but it is with traditional glass slide collection methods. If your problem is vaginal discharge reschedule, we won't see anything but blood in your sample if you are on your period. If your problem is abnormal or heavy blooding come on in when you are on your period. It may even make some of the tests easier.
- Don't use baby wipes on your bottom. Not ever. They actually contain a lot of chemicals and can cause allergic reactions and even paradoxically increase odor.
- Same goes for douches. Not ever. Douches are as bad for the vagina as cigarettes are for the lungs. The packaging even contains similar warnings! Douches increase your risk of getting very serious infections in the genital tract.
- Every wonder what your GYNO uses for birth control? One of the most popular methods is an IUD, specifically Mirena IUD as by 1 year 80 percent of women will have no periods or very light periods.
- Buy the morning after pill and keep it at home. You are more likely to use it if you have it at home.
Dr. Gunter is a nationally and internationally renowned obstetrician/gynecologist and a leading expert in the field of sexual health. She is the recipient of numerous awards and has published extensively in medical journals.
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