Gynecological exam questionnaire

1) what country you are from

Australia

2) at what age was the first visit?

16

3) alone or accompanied?

My dad went with me

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

Yes, I went to the OBGYN because I was pregnant

5) did you undress behind a screen?

No

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

I removed my underwear and was wearing a dress which I pulled up

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

Rectovaginal

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable?

It was uncomfortable but the doctor was comforting, my dad held my hand

9) Was it embarrassing?

Yes, but given my dad had just come to terms with the fact I was pregnant, I was already embarrassed so it just added to my existing embarrassment

1) what country you are from?

USA

2) at what age was the first visit? 18

3) alone or accompanied? Alone

4) had you already had sexual intercourse? Yes

5) did you undress behind a screen? No

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked? Naked under a gown

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination? No

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable? Uncomfortable

9) Was it embarrassing? The first slide down , just a little further, let your knees fall open…yeah. Embarrassing.

1) what country you are from

USA

2) at what age was the first visit?

15

3) alone or accompanied?

My mom made the appointment and took me, but stayed in the waiting room. I was alone in the exam room, except when the female chaperone joined for the physical exam portion.

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

No.

5) did you undress behind a screen?

No, I was left alone to undress in the exam room.

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

Completely undressed, everything off for the examination. I changed into a paper vest, opening to the front, and had a paper drape sheet.

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

Yes, a recto-vaginal followed by a rectal exam.

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable?

It was definitely uncomfortable, physically and emotionally. The speculum exam was painful at certain points.

9) Was it embarrassing?

Oh yes, incredibly so!

1) what country you are from

The United States

2) at what age was the first visit?

I was 17 at the time.

3) alone or accompanied?

My mom brought me to the appointment, but I went into the exam room alone.

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

I had not.

5) did you undress behind a screen?

No, I was left alone in the exam room to undress.

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

I had to undress completely. The nurse was even pretty specific about my bra and underwear coming off. I was given a paper vest with a paper lap sheet to change into.

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

I did not have that part for a few more years.

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable?

Uncomfortable is the better word for it, very uncomfortable. A couple moments during the speculum placement and adjustment crossed into painful. But that still happens sometimes…I’m convinced I’m just then wrong shape or something for that instrument. 😋

9) Was it embarrassing?

Incredibly

1) what country you are from? United States

2) at what age was the first visit? 20

3) alone or accompanied? Alone

4) had you already had sexual intercourse? No

5) did you undress behind a screen? No. I was left alone in the exam room to undress.

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked? Fully naked

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination? Vaginal, but no rectal

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable? The speculum is always a bit painful and having fingers inside me for a non-sexual reasons is weird and uncomfortable.

9) Was it embarrassing? I wouldn't say embarrassing. My doctor was very professional,l and didn't say much, but it's uncomfortable in every sense imaginable.

1) what country you are from:

UK

2) at what age was the first visit?

I’m sure I was 18 or 19. When I’ve checked back screening apparently started at 20 at the time, but I can vividly remember pulling the pink invite out my mail locker thing in first year at uni.

3) alone or accompanied?

Alone

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

Yes

5) did you undress behind a screen?

It was in the nurse’s room, so she pulled the curtain around the bed and left me to undress and lie down while she finished preparing.

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

From the waist down, keeping my socks on

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

No, it was just the cervical screening. Nothing else was done.

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable

I don’t think so. It was years before I went on testosterone and I still used my vagina occasionally, so that probably made it easier than some of the more recent ones I’ve had.

9) Was it embarrassing?

No. I’d been reading about it for years so was kind of intrigued to see what it would be like. I’d never seen the nurse before and don’t think I ever did again, so that might have helped.

1) what country you are from

I'm from Germany

2) at what age was the first visit?

I was 14 when I had my first gynecologic exam. I was in the ER because I had severe abdominal pain and the doctors wanted to rule out any gynecological cause.

3) alone or accompanied?

My mom stayed with me the whole exam

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

No

5) did you undress behind a screen?

No

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

From the waist down

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

A rectal exam was part of it

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable?

Well I had abdominal pain and the pain med wasn't very effective

9) Was it embarrassing?

Yes definetly

1) what country you are from

USA

2) at what age was the first visit?

About 16 and a half.

3) alone or accompanied?

My Mom brought me to the office but wasn't in the exam room with me.

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

Yes, but only a few times. I was there to get birth control.

5) did you undress behind a screen?

Yes

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

Fully naked under a paper gown.

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

Yes

8: Was it painful or uncomfortable?

No, not really.

9) Was it embarrassing?

Just a little bit. But after returning home, the more I thought about what had happened, the more I realized that I had enjoyed exposing my body to a stranger and being touched so intimately by him, the Doctor.

1) what country you are from

USA

2) at what age was the first visit?

15

3) alone or accompanied?

Accompanied by mother and father

4) had you already had sexual intercourse?

No

5) did you undress behind a screen?

Yes

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked?

Fully naked under a paper gown

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination?

Yes

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable?

Rectal was a bit painful at first

9) Was it embarrassing?

Very much so

1) what country you are from ITALY

2) at what age was the first visit? 19 years old

3) alone or accompanied? alone

4) had you already had sexual intercourse? yes

5) did you undress behind a screen? yes

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked? just from the waist down

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination? yes

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable? just unconfortable

9) Was it embarrassing? very embarrassing

Answers from my GF

1) what country you are from USA

2) at what age was the first visit? 18 years old

3) alone or accompanied? With mom

4) had you already had sexual intercourse? No

5) did you undress behind a screen? No

6) how did you undress? from the waist down, in a gown or fully naked? Fully

7) did you also have a rectal/rectovaginal examination? No

8 ) Was it painful or uncomfortable? Uncomfortable as it was from GP and not my eventual gyno

9) Was it embarrassing? very embarrassing as mom was in the room and I wasn’t expecting it

I see that many of you had rectal or rectovaginal exam.

It is not very common in France.

I hope my wife gets one someday !