Rectal Exams at Gyno

My question is for all the ladies and I would like to hear about some of your past experiences with getting a (digital rectal exam) during a physical or gyno exam.

Did your doctor in the past or does your doctor announce to you when he needs to do a rectal examination and in what position did he do the exam? Does your doctor explain the procedure and tell you what you might feel, like some pressure, or a desire to move your bowels? Has any one of your doctors ever just inserted his finger right up inside your rectum without even for warning you?

Hey everyone,

One interesting topic is if a girl gets a rectal exam on her first exam (or any exam) or no rectal exam. I've asked a lot of different women about it and it seems like it really does vary widely if one gets one or not. Obviously, it depends on the individual doctor in question; what are people's thoughts on it and for women, please tell us whether you got one when you go for any one of your exams. Or if you had one doctor that did it and one not do it...or even if you always get one. Would love to hear people's thoughts.

I'm not sad to say that, in the almost ten years I've been getting gyn exams, I have never had one. As a true patient, I'm actually extremely anxious and not at all trusting, so I think I'd get more panicky than I already do. Conversely, I think I'd be alright with it as a play patient because I wouldn't carry out a scenario with somebody I didn't trust.

I had rectal examination at my first pelvic exam and I assumed it was pretty much stanadard. My understanding is that with the bi manual exam the dr can only palpate and assess the anterior wall of the uterus but can't feel the posterior wall. From the rectal exam any abnormalty on the back of the uterus can be felt such as fibroids or anything else.

The dr who did my first exam did explain this to me and with the reasoning behind was more acceptable although certainly not a pleasant thing to have done.

If you dont get a rectal exam I think you should really question as to why not.

I got a rectal exam on my VERY first gyno exam ever and it was quite a surprise. However, I can hardly remember getting one since then!! I DO understand that they can feel your pelvic structures more accurately, etc., but it is hardly ever done for routine exams. That's why I need my play doctors!!

Friend has never had the rectal exam as part of the gyne checkup. This happen to anyone else? I usually always get the finger up the butt.

Her GYN may have decided that it was unnecessary. She may be young and have no complaints which might indicate the need for a DRE. Otherwise, he might just have decided to spare her the embarrassment, a poor excuse for at least one baseline exam.

My GF has only had one and the one she got was because she told her Dr we started anal sex.

Here in the UK its very unlikely for this to happen, unless there are symptoms that need checking to warrant this procedure.

I received a rectal exam at my old gyn. Since moving, my new one doesn't perform one, just a quick visual check.

I haven't gotten one on a routine exam, but I did when I went in for abdominal pain.

I almost always have rectal exam at my gyn appointments.

My lady has yet to get one

My wife started getting rectals at the gyn when she turned 40.

My wife has been getting them anually since she turned forty. She now gets them every three months at her follow up exams with the gyne oncologist.

I never have had one.

I've never had one at a routine exam.

Nope. Never had a doctor do that to me. It's probably because I'm young and because my uterus tilts forward. My understanding is that if the uterus tilts backwards, doctors will sometimes do a rectal exam to try to better palpate the patient's uterus. I could be wrong about that one though.

It really does vary widely from Doctor to doctor; so some girls always get it in their butts when they're in the stirrups, some never do, and some just get it sometimes.

I've never had one.

Soumise, you can come to plano, and I know a doctor here that will give you a rectal exam. ;-)

I had a rectal exam once in my life, i was about 14 and went to gynecologist because my menstrual cycle wasn't regular and when it shows, it comes like a huge hemorrhage.

So, It was my first visit and she just made me lay down on the table exam with my knees on the stirrups and never say a word about what she was going to do. Well, i found soon as she pushed her finger into my anus, never saying a word, i was in shock and speechless. It didn't hurt, just a little discomfort, but with 14, oh my god.

Yes never had a rectal exam by a doctor or gynaecologist. Only time fingers have been up there are from enema insertion from a nurse in hospital and anal play from playmates 😃

A friend of mine just had her first rectal exam. She complained of stomach pain related to constipation, so the doc suggested a rectal exam to check for polyps. My friend said she was a bit surprised but went ahead with the exam anyway.

Hi juni89. Your physician treated you very badly. Any caring GYN would explain things to a 14y/o. And this was a female GYN? She should get a triple H with glycerin!

StephenS , it was a female gyn, a little old, not even a smile. Was definitely a traumatic experience. Since then I'm afraid to go to the doctor whatever specialty. This fear was overtooked only a few months ago.

My wife started having them from her old male GP when she turned 40. Later on she started seeing a female GYN and she has not got one since. I thought a GYN would be sure and do a more thorough exam than a GP, I guess I was wrong. Perhaps he just like doing them on women.

My wife has never had her doctor perform a rectal exam on her yet, although she is not yet 40. My previous girlfriends always said their doctor never did one on them but they were young at the time, in their 20's.

I always have since I was 19.

Wife's gyno has never given her a rectal exam yet. But her fertility Dr has. She was not expecting it