“At what age should I go to the gynecologist?”

There really is no specific age. As soon as you have questions about your body, sexual health, STIs or birth control – that’s a great time to make an appointment. And don’t be nervous – be proud you’re taking steps to keep yourself healthy and protected.

Want more info on what to expect when you go? Check this out: https://vimeo.com/68232393

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You should see a health care provider as soon as you can. If you are pregnant, you will need to start prenatal care. If you find that you are not pregnant, this would be a great time to discover your birth control options to prevent an unintended pregnancy.

Hope this helps.

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• If you’ve never had a check up and are sexually active
• You have taken part in unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex
• Your partner has had sex with someone other than you
• You have unusual discharge from the penis or vagina
• You have pain when urinating
• You have pain during sex
• You have sores or blisters in the genital area
• You experience itching or irritation in your genital area

Just remember that some STIs don’t show any symptoms! Schedule a free and confidential appointment to get tested at a MS Health Department near you! www.factnotfiction.com/clinic-finder

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My first gynecologist visit was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life; but it was not terrifying because of what happened during the visit.  I was terrified beforehand because no one prepared me for what to expect.  The only knowledge of what to expect when going to a gynecologist was what I had seen in
movies.  Movies make a visit to the gynecologist seem like a nerve-wracking event that only needs to happen if you are pregnant or have obvious symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection (STI).  From the portrayal of unprofessional doctors to the over dramatization of equipment, a trip to the gynecologist can seem intimidating.  As young girls, we are not told what to expect at a gynecologist visit, which makes visiting one for the first time scary. What is worse is that no one talks about it among our peers unless
something bad has happened.

At your first visit, you can expect to sit down with your gynecologist to discuss your sexual history.  This can seem a little daunting, especially for me because I grew up in a home where we did not talk about our
bodies and we did not discuss sex.  It may seem embarrassing to discuss your sex life with your doctor. However, it is important to remain honest and fully disclose your sexual history with them.  This ensures that your doctor can better serve you.  Your doctor will want to know your family’s medical history, how many sexual partners you have had, whether the sexual encounters were safe, and the gender[s] of your partners.  Next, your doctor will want to discuss STIs and how to prevent becoming infected with one.
If any of your sexual partners are male, your doctor will also discuss options for family planning with you.

The examination part of your visit involves a breast examination as well as a pelvic examination. For me, this was even more embarrassing than talking about my sexual history because of the way I was raised to not talk about sex and my body.  During a breast exam, your doctor will touch your breasts in sections with very little pressure in order to feel the structure of your breasts and determine if there are any lumps or thick tissue areas to be concerned about.  Your doctor will also explain to you how you should give yourself a breast self-exam regularly.  After your breasts have been examined, you will be asked to lay back on the exam table and place your feet in the stirrups, which are basically extended arms that come out of the bottom of the exam table and hold your feet in place while your knees are bent and hips spread so that the doctor can perform your pelvic exam. I found that for me, the most awkward part of the whole exam was scooting my bottom down to the edge of the exam table with my legs in the stirrups.  Once suitably down to the edge of the table, your doctor will perform the pelvic exam.

A pelvic exam usually can be described in three parts.

• First, your doctor will use their fingers to feel your reproductive organs by applying pressure from both inside your vagina and from the outside on your belly.
• Second, your doctor will insert a tool called
  a speculum into your vagina in order to hold your vagina open so that your cervix can be seen.
• After a visual exam of your cervix is done, your doctor will use a swab to collect a tiny amount of tissue from your cervix to send to the lab to test for disease. (While I did not find it super awesome and comfortable, the swab, called a PAP smear, was not as terrible as I had thought it would be. It is not recommended that you regularly get a PAP smear until you are age 21.  A PAP test is a test of a sample of cells taken from a women’s cervix or vagina. The test used to look for changes in the cells in the cervix and vagina that show cancer or conditions that may develop into cancer)

Overall, a visit to a gynecologist office is only as scary as you make it to be.  It is important to visit your gynecologist once a year to ensure that you do not have anything harmful to your health.  Your doctor is able to observe and treat any number of STIs, any form of cancer within your reproductive organs, as well as any other issue you may have.  While I may not enjoy visiting my gynecologist, I feel reassured that my health is safer for visiting mine.

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“I haven’t had my period for 2 months and I am sexually active.  I recently had a colposcopy and have taken many home pregnancy tests which all came up negative. I’ve been having hot flashes and stomach pains, but the doctor said that I am healthy. What do you think?“

We’re not sure how old you are, but we’ll tell you what we know! For older women, those symptoms (irregular periods and hot flashes) may be the beginning of menopause. We call this the perimenopausal period, which can last up to about ten years. If you have seen a practitioner, but are continuing to have symptoms that are painful, you might want to seek a second opinion.

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“I have been bleeding for two months and I’m 25 years old. I have the Implanon and my three years of having it was in 2013 but I never had it removed. Do you think that’s why I can’t stop bleeding?”

According to the research on Nexplanon (the newer version of Implanon) the bleeding you are describing would not be related to a contraceptive device that was implanted in 2010 and “expired” in 2013. You
should see a care provider who will be able to evaluate why you are having bleeding for two months and will also be able to remove the Nexplanon for you.

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Mississippi has some of the highest sexually transmitted disease (STI) rates in the nation. As the number of STIs continue to remain so high, it is so important that we maintain our sexual health. Health professionals suggest STI testing every three months for those who are engaging in unprotected sex, while others using protection during sex are suggested to test every six months to a year. Unfortunately, testing isn’t your only concern. Aside from having to worry about your partner’s status, you then have to make sure that you are taking good care of your “Pink Parts.”

Many people are unaware of what “Pink Parts” are, so I’m here to help you understand what they are and why it’s so important to take good care of them.

What Are Pink Parts?

Both males and females have pink parts, which include:

·
Mouth

·
Vagina

·
Urethra

·
Anus

Why are these parts so important?

These are the places that are highly susceptible to allow bacteria or viruses, including STIs, to enter your body.

Take Precautions!

There are daily activities that most of us engage in, but we never really think about how harmful they can be to our Pink Parts if done improperly.

·
Brushing Your Teeth

An activity such as brushing your teeth can actually make you more susceptible to contracting an STI. The bristles on a toothbrush can be very abrasive and can potentially puncture your gums, leaving an opening for bacteria and viruses to enter, including STIs. Our mouths and especially our tonsils are very sensitive to certain things, and this alone could put someone at high risk for contracting oral gonorrhea or oral chlamydia if they engage in oral sex. So when you brush your teeth, make sure you don’t brush too vigorously so ensure you don’t puncture your gums!

·
Vagina and Anal Douching

Brushing your teeth too harshly isn’t your only worry, though! Women and men who douche also need to be aware of their risks. Even though a douche is meant for good, it can also cause tearing of the anus and the vagina if done too aggressively. This can leave you more exposed and vulnerable to contract and/or transmit an STI, especially if one is likely to partake in unprotected sex.

·
Urethra

Although there aren’t any objects that are regularly inserted inside of the urethra, it is still an exposed opening that can allow unwanted bacteria and viruses to enter, including STIs. The best way to prevent this is to practice safe sex by using condoms when engaging in sexual intercourse.

So protect your Pink Parts! Doing so will help you protect yourself from contracting and/or transmitting an STI.

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As girls grow into teens and young women, it is important they receive appropriate
medical care.  The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends that young women have their first visit with an obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) between the ages of 13 and 15.  The thought of seeing an OB/GYN or having a pelvic exam can make a girl feel nervous, embarrassed or scared.  By explaining the visit and giving her a sense of what to expect and addressing any questions or fears she may have, this will help her feel more comfortable about her first visit to a gynecologist.

For most teens and young women, the first visit usually consists of an external examination of the genitals and breasts, but not the examination of the reproductive organs, which is recommended starting  at the age of 21 for healthy women.  However, if the young woman is experiencing any problems with abnormal vaginal bleeding, painful periods, unusual vaginal discharge or other problems associated with her reproductive health, she may need a pelvic exam sooner.

A visit to an OB/GYN serves three main purposes.  These purposes help
explain the visit more thoroughly.  One main purpose is to gather accurate information and confidential answers to any questions concerning sex, sexuality, changing of the body and
menstruation.  Another purpose is to learn about prevention of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and diseases (STIs and STDs) and healthy lifestyles.  The last purpose is to learn about treatment to girls who experience missed periods, pain or other reproductive problems.  The doctor can look into why the problems are occurring and offer treatment.

When selecting a doctor, young girls and women should find someone who takes time to make them feel as comfortable as possible.  They may look for someone who they may be familiar with, such as the pediatrician or family doctor, she has seen before. They may also want to choose between a male or female doctor.  Whomever she chooses should be a trusted person they can be honest with and not withhold information that she is too embarrassed to share with.

Young women should be prepared to answer questions the doctor asks relating to her medical and reproductive history, like “When was your last period, and are you having any problems with it?” or “Do you think you could be pregnant?” Through this discussion, the doctor will decide which tests to run and what issues to discuss.

After their first visit to an OB/GYN, young women should discuss with their parents or other caring adults
their experience and whether or not she was comfortable with the doctor.  Parents should encourage their daughters to discuss their visits and ask questions about how they felt.  Once a young woman starts their visits, they should continue to go yearly to stay informed and healthy.

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“Is it true that uncircumcised guys have more of a chance of having STDs? If so, why?”

From time to time, we hear that uncircumcised guys have an increased risk for STDs but what we know from research is that this is not true. So, the good news is, if a male is uncircumcised, then they don’t need a circumcision!

We do know there is strong evidence about the effectiveness of adult circumcision for the reduction of HIV acquisition in men. In this case, men who are at high risk of exposure to HIV (men having sex with men), might want to talk to their care provider about ways to prevent getting HIV, which might include a discussion on the risks and benefits of circumcision.

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“Why can you not have sex during your period?”

Hey! You definitely can have sex during your period. Some couples just chose not to because of the bleeding.

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