Abstract

The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this guideline to present the evidence and provide clinical recommendations on the utility of screening pelvic examination for the detection of pathology in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women. This guideline is based on a systematic review of the published literature in the English language from 1946 through January 2014 identified using MEDLINE and hand-searching. Evaluated outcomes include morbidity; mortality; and harms, including overdiagnosis, overtreatment, diagnostic procedure-related harms, fear, anxiety, embarrassment, pain, and discomfort. The target audience for this guideline includes all clinicians, and the target patient population includes asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women. This guideline grades the evidence and recommendations using the ACP's clinical practice guidelines grading system. ACP recommends against performing screening pelvic examination in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women (strong recommendation, moderate-quality evidence).

Highlights

  • Description: The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this guideline to present the evidence and provide clinical recommendations on the utility of screening pelvic examination for the detection of pathology in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women

  • The purpose of this American College of Physicians (ACP) guideline is to present the available evidence on screening for pathology using pelvic examination in adult, asymptomatic, average-risk, nonpregnant women

  • SUMMARY Pelvic examination is commonly used in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women to screen for pathology

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Summary

Clinical Guideline

Screening Pelvic Examination in Adult Women: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. MD, MPH; Russell Harris, MD, MPH; Melissa Starkey, PhD; and Thomas D. MD, PhD, for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians*. Description: The American College of Physicians (ACP) developed this guideline to present the evidence and provide clinical recommendations on the utility of screening pelvic examination for the detection of pathology in asymptomatic, nonpregnant, adult women

Methods
METHODS
Insufficient evidence to determine net benefits or risks
HARMS OF PELVIC EXAMINATION
History of Sexual Violence
Variation in Harms According to Provider Characteristics
Harms of Screening
Clinical Considerations
Findings
Annals of Internal Medicine
Full Text
Published version (Free)

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