Why do hospitals check height and weight at gynae appointments?

[IthinkIminlovewithSalvias]

I had a gynae appointment at a local hospital recently. They called me in to do a height and weight check before I saw the doctor.
I asked the member of staff why they needed to do this when I was just there for a cyst on my fanny. She didn't know why.
Anyone got any ideas?
Do men get their height and weight checked when they have testicle/penis issues?

I would assume it’s in case you need any meds. They are calibrated by weight. Also, say you are there for something that turns out to be cancer, they will want to monitor any weight loss.

I have cancer and I’m weighed every time I see the doctor or nurse, every time I come for treatment (the medicine is mixed according to my weight), only time they don’t is if it’s just a blood draw appointment.

I guess if the person was really obese then it could complicate the treatment of their illness? But you could just see someone was that big without actually weighing them?

It's not just about obesity though.

Significant weight loss between appointments could be a cause for concern.

Ha, they estimated me as a BMI of 40 and said I couldn’t have a lap op
I complained, got weighed and my height done and got my op as my BMI isn’t 40

So they can tell you you need to lose weight. Years ago I saw the GP for an ear infection. All he wanged on about was smoking

DD used to have her height/weight measured when she went to a regular clinic (not gynae and no obvious reason why they would be needed and they never changed).

The weighing/measuring time was also used as a informal time to ask if there was anything bothering us or that they should know about, so I decided they probably did it for that reason (people sometimes will talk more freely if they are doing something else). And to hide the fact the appointments were always running late :)

Yeah if it's to do with whether or not they'll give you an operation then they should definitely weight you rather than guessing!

Thanks for all the replies!
I have been to that clinic many many times over the years with the same issue. I have never been weighed and measured. (Or for any other hospital appointment that I remember)
The only time this has happened was when my children went to appointments with a paediatrician.
I just thought it might be because it was a women's and children's section of a hospital and it was protocol there.
Reading these replies, it appears not!

they might record it to say that they are monitoring for weight loss, but I've lost 25kg in the past year, and no-one weighing me has ever mentioned it - they just record it. It was in fact deliberate, but they've not asked, as it's been lots of different departments (orthopaedics originally for surgery, then rheumatology, cardiology, when I had an echo, a dexa, a blood pressure check etc.). Because it's all different people, I don't think anyone ever looks at previous results. It seems more like just something they have to do.

Thanks.
You are going to spend a lot of time writing that across an internet forum.

So they can tell you to lose weight before they will take you seriously

It’s primarily in case they need to prescribe drugs

This makes total sense, but the only time I was weight was at my first midwife appointment for my first pregnancy (wasn't weighed for my second) and when I specifically asked about weight issues.

yeah they do that every time I go to the outpatients for rheumatology check ups. I just go along with it as I don't mind checking my weight on proper scales anyway.

Yeah, loss or gain. I guess weight can be so interlinked with hormones and therefore reproductive organs so they need it for that?

I'd hope you could decline and just tell them if you'd gained or lost but that might be less reliable obviously.

They won't need that information for any treatment they give me for the issue that I have.
Just seems to be a blanket policy they they have implemented since the last time I was there I suppose

Had mine checked at my recent gynae appointment.

Also had it checked for my first endocrinoloogy appointment for my thyroid a few years ago.

Husband had his checked for his epilepsy at his first clinic appointment in November, and subsequent follow up in February. He was also weighed when he was admitted onto a ward on Tuesday (was hospitalised for low sodium due to his epilepsy meds).

Certainly doesn't seem to be a male/female thing in our experience.

I think it may be to monitor weight incase it turned out to be anything untoward and the person was losing weight quickly (I assume).

May I ask what medication your husband is on? I have a friend who has been encountering similar things.

Why does it matter? What are you concerned will happen to your data.

For example, if your area has a higher level of obesity then targeted interventions could be offered.

Anyway, it's main purpose is to measure your health just like blood pressure readings and red blood cell count. Do you refuse these also?

stopping smoking reduces the risk of getting ear infections though - sounds like sensible advice.

Good - patients should not feel judged and you should be able to access treatment and have a choice.

As someone who had / has an eating disorder, I always politely refuse unless there is a very good reason eg, I’m going to have a general anasthetic.

So they can give you a disapproving attitude and fob you off if your bmi is too high. Half joking.

some echo parameters are indexed to height and weight/ body surface area so depending on what they were most interested in excluding/including that might explain it.

Leviteracitam and Lamotrigine (apologies if either of those are spelt incorrectly!). They think it was the Lemotrigine that caused the issue, so he's being slowly titrated off it as you can't just stop epilepsy meds, and had a different one added.