Annual Routine Pelvic Exams

There have been new recommendations by the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians in 2014. Their recommendations are:

1-No routine pelvic exam on a healthy, non pregnant woman who doesn't have pelvic symptoms.

Question: Do you believe you still need an annual pelvic exam when you are healthy, don't have any pelvic symptoms and aren't pregnant?

Having lived in many regions across the world, some where there are routine exams and checkups with insurance and some where you only ever see a dr when symptomatic, I think it's best to be preemptive, I wonder how many cervical, uterine or ovarian tumors were detected at a checkup with a gyn at an earlier stage? Waiting to be symptomatic often means waited too long.

My wife does and will continue to for sure

My province in Canada (Ontario) only pays for a PAP test once every 3 years, unless a doctor orders it or you've had an abnormal one. You can get one every year if you pay for it yourself. I agree with the poster above me - these tests can catch cervical cancer early enough to cure it. Seems that cutbacks are happening everywhere.

Bbtw4doc how much is an annual pelvic exam and pap smear in Canada if you were to pay for it out of pocket?

All I could find is that it is about $20 for the PAP test but the dr can charge for doing the swab.

In the U.K. ladies over 25 are offered routine screening.

25-49 every 3 years

50-64 every 5 years

Over 65 generally aren’t offered routine screening unless there has been abnormal test results.

This includes women who have received the HPV vaccine as a teenager because it doesn’t protect against all forms of cervical cancer

I know what all the recommendations say. But as far as everyone in this house is concerned it is wise to get a annual physical. There are diseases that do not give off symptoms right away. By the time they do it could be far advanced. There are also some diseases that can take ten years to develop. I was raped some years ago so I am extra cautious. If your insurance will let you it is a good thing once a year or as often as your insurance will let you. That is just my thoughts on it.

As loobyloo said the UK has a totally different approach with regards to cervical screening. The aim of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme is to reduce the number of women who develop cervical cancer and the number of women who die from the condition.

All women who are registered with a GP are invited for cervical screening:

aged 25 to 49 – every 3 years

aged 50 to 64 – every 5 years

over 65 – only women who haven't been screened since age 50 or those who have recently had abnormal tests.

This is because most cervical cancers develop in women aged 25 to 64.

Being screened regularly means any abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix can be identified at an early stage and, if necessary, treated to stop cancer developing.

But cervical screening isn't 100% accurate and doesn't prevent all cases of cervical cancer.

Screening is a personal choice and you have the right to choose not to attend.

I think it's dangerous to advise people to do it themselves. Unless you are a trained professional, you could miss something and you can't do the lab tests at home. Is your life really worth saving a few dollars?

Yes I believe I still need a yearly pelvic exam and rectovaginal exam as well every year two finger kind of girl

My insurance pays for it every year, so I’ll keep going every year. I can’t check myself out down there super effectively. My fiancé wouldn’t even know what to look for. I get peace of mind every year knowing everything is okay.

As someone who has had surgery to remove ovarian cysts, I prefer to go ahead with a pelvic exam every year. I don't mind the PAP being done every 3 years or so, but I wish that my doctors would listen to me when I request a pelvic every year. It's my health, and I know my history. I'm not doing it for the jollies.