Q.
I want to go on the birth control pill, but I'm
nervous about going for a gynecological exam. Could you describe
what it's like please?
A.
For information about your first gynecological
exam read: GYN
Exam. Here
is the quick version:
An annual
GYN exam is thorough, but the internal exam is fast and should
not be painful. It will include a check of your blood pressure
and weight, as well as a breast exam and a pelvic exam. For
more detail see our articles on pelvic
exams, breast
exams and pap smears.
You may
be seen by a physician, nurse practitioner or a PA (physician's
assistant). She or he will exam your external genitals to
make sure they are normal, the clitoris and the vaginal opening.
After that, she/he will use a speculum -- an instrument that
keeps the walls of the vagina open. The speculum is gently
inserted into your vagina so the person can see your cervix
and take a pap smear. (Also secretion samples for STDs can
be collected at this time too). A swab sample of your cervix
is taken to collect some cells to examine in a laboratory
for cancerous or pre-cancerous growths or other abnormalities
will be taken (for more details read:
pap smears. ) This simple test is an important part of
every woman's yearly health exam, since early detection and
treatment of any cervical abnormalities can reduce future
complications.
The manual
part of the exam is necessary to assess your uterus, fallopian
tubes and ovaries, to make sure they feel normal and to check
for any swelling or tenderness. Once the doctor or nurse practitioner
is finished checking your uterus and ovaries, the exam is
complete. For more details read the pelvic
exam article.
If you
have been sexually active, tell the health care provider and
have cultures taken for STDs. It’s your decision if you
want to have an HIV blood test done. You need to sign a consent
form for that test, and the results will not be discussed
with anyone else but you. In addition, information should
be made available about the range of contraceptives available
and specific ways to prevent STDs as well as teaching you
how to do a breast self-exam and how to take the pill correctly
if it is prescribed for you.
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Q.
Why does a doctor
have to touch my testicles?
A.
Read our article
on testicular self exams. During a health
examination, the health care provider will need to feel your
testicles and the area around them to detect two important
things -- a hernia or a testicular tumor. This exam can be
very embarrassing for all guys, but it's a really important
thing to check. You should also check your own testicles every
month for any lumps or changes. Cancer of the testicles accounts
for only about 1 percent of all cancers in men. BUT, it is
the most common type of cancer in males aged 18 to 40.
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Q.
What is dry sex?
A.
"Dry sex" is a term
that has different meanings to different people. Some people
think it means taking off your clothes and going through the
motions of sexual intercourse -- thrusting and rubbing against
each other's bodies without ever inserting the penis into
the vagina. Other people think it means going through the
motions of sexual intercourse, with your clothes on. Dry sex
with clothes on can't result in a pregnancy even if the guy
ejaculates into his clothes.
If
there are no clothes on and semen comes in contact with the
opening of the vagina, then a pregnancy is possible. It can
also be very difficult to control your desires and hormones
once your clothes are off.
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Q.
I was wondering if masturbating
will affect my period?
A.
Masturbating really doesn't
have any effect on your cycle. Now and then ANY form of sexual
activity can possibly help bring on the onset of an irregular
period, and for some women alleviate menstrual cramps, simply
because your body relaxes during sexual activity, and during
orgasm, your uterus may experience some contractions. Your
menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones that work in harmony
every single month. For more information on how menstruation
works, check out our article on the topic.
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Q.
Am I still a virgin if I
use a tampon?
A.
Yes. You are still a virgin
if you have not had sexual intercourse. Many girls
worry that if they use tampons, they will no longer be virgins.
You don't really have anything to worry about because a virgin
is someone who has never had sexual intercourse. (And that
is also in accordance with The Webster Dictionary, btw).
Many
females who are virgins usually have a hymen -- a thin membrane
or tissue that stretches partly across the opening of the
vagina. Some females bleed slightly the first time they have
sexual intercourse because the hymen stretches or breaks.
It is possible that inserting a tampon will tear the hymen,
but this is does not happen to every female. The hymen
is just partially there or already has holes in it - how else
would the menstrual flow get out? Even if a tampon does break
the hymen, a teen is still a virgin until she has had sexual
intercourse. I know I keep writing that, but I get emailed
that question every day.
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Q.
What is a hymen anyway?
A.
It’s a thin protective
elastic membrane or strip of skin that partially covers your
vaginal opening. When you reach puberty, the hymen stretches
easily, but a hymen can be torn in many ways... when you were
a kid on a bike, from exercise, from horseback riding, and
from inserting a tampon. A hymen that
isn't intact doesn't mean that a girl is not a virgin. Remember,
you are a virgin until you have sexual intercourse.
You might
want to read The Hymen article.
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