Experience of the first pelvic examination

Abstract

A B S T R A C T Objectives To analyze women’ s experiences of the first pelvic examination and identify positive andnegative components. To learn lessons, and build on andincorporate the positive components into a model of good clinical practice. Method The open, cross-sectional study was carried out in community family planning and young persons clinics. A self-administered questionnaire was offered to all women under 25 years of age who attended a family planning or young persons clinic during the study period. Thequestionnairewasconstructedtodeterminehowexperiencecomparedwith expectations and which components showed a significant trend towards a positive or negative effect. It also aimed to find what women considered to be important aspects of an internal examination. Results A total of 167 evaluable questionnaires were completed in which experience of the first pelvic examination was reported from family planning clinics (41%), general practice (39%) and hospital/genitourinary medicine faculties (20%). These first pelvic examinations occurred at a mean age of 17.3 years (range 11‐ 23 years). Significant trends of a positive experience were found when the examination was conducted by a female doctor ( p = 0.02), when it was conducted in a family planning clinic as opposed to general practice ( p = 0.04), after permission was sought ( p = 0.001) and with increasing age at first examination (Mann‐ Whitney, p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in outcome with offer of, or presence of, a chaperone. Conclusions Afriendly,femaledoctorwho seekspermissionbeforetheexamination,which shouldbeuninterrupted,wereconsideredtobeimportantaspectsforaninternalexamination.