Rectal exams in england

I often wonder why us girls dont get rectal exams here in england untill the age of 40 ish .

can anybody shed some light on this for me

i often wonder why us girls don't get rectal exams here in England until the age of 40 ish .

Well, from the 40 a rectal should be done to prevent rectal cancer, in younger women the DRE or a recto vaginalexam may be frequently included on a normal gynecology exam routine. This will depend on the doctor and frequently on each's country "medical culture". Rectovaginal and or rectal most common goals are as have been told in other topics searching for rectal or vaginal/rectal masses,feeling "the tiny wall between vagina and rectum", feeling the back part of uterus (not touchable only by vaginal), better feel for ovaries and test for occult blood on stools if present.

Some gynecologists ask permission before do it, others simply inform what they are about to do and others simply don't do it. I think it's more often be part of the routine (without specific complains in the USA).

Its unneccessary, as simple as that. England goes on the probabilty of something being wrong at certain ages and treats accordingly, where as other countries are over cautious e.g america have gyno exams every year. In england there is no need to waste a specialists time "just incase" as a gp can detect problems and treat them just as well 95% of the time.Specialists are expensive, so their time is used wisely considering its our taxes that pay them.

There is a much more reliable test for rectal cancer which involves screening for rectal blood in a stool sample. This is used in the current national screening programme which is offered by the NHS in the UK to everyone of 60+

A rectal or vaginal/ rectal exam might be performed to check the thinning and condition of the vaginal/rectal wall. But this is only considered necessary for women of perhaps 38-40+ and would probably only be performed in the UK at a private clinic such as BUPA.

I've never known a woman or man for that matter,to have a rectal exam performed routinely in the UK at an NHS clinic or GP, unless there is a specific problem in that area.

The main focus of the NHS in the UK is 3 or 5 year cervical smear tests, and these will probably become a thing of past as the national vaccination programme for cervical cancer which started around 12 months ago kicks in.

Dr Philip - The UK Play Doctor.

Hi all,

Here in UK they do operate on only examining you if there is something you have a problem with, unless you are having a private medical. I am in my mid-40s and though have had regular smear tests with a nurse, I have had only 3 internal examinations by a Dr, the first back in 80s when I went on pill, 2nd about 12 years after the first by a gp who wanted to make sure everything was fine after being on the pill so long and the 3rd about 18 months or so ago at a BUPA medical. At the BUPA medical I also had my first and to date only rectal examination, which came after the pelvic exam and though I was not exactly impressed when she said she was going to do one and was a little slow rolling onto my side to get into position, found it not to be as bad as I thought it was going to be, the Dr was very good and it is not a long examination. Though my bum did fell a little warm and violated afterwards if you know what I mean, plus sort of moist which maybe I should have expected as the Dr did lose a lot more lubricant for rectal than internal exam. So if you want a rectal exam you need to be over 40 and go for a private medical or have something specific wrong in that area.

Lisa

P.S. The smear tests will be around for a long while yet as the vaccine only deals with HPV which causes 70% of cervical cancers so to catch the other 30% smears wil continue to be required.