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?

Thank you! She is on lamotrogine, and brivaracetam so it'll be interesting to see if it is that. Hope your dh finds the right balance, as it has been tricky for my friend, and I'd imagine terrifying changing over.

You don't have to stand on the scales. You can just say "No thank you". If not knowing your weight is a barrier to treatment they can tell you and weigh you in under a minute.

I didn’t smoke though 🤣

My doctor checks height, weight and BP at every single visit - even if it were to be an appointment for a sore toe. I think it’s great as often changes in weight (gain/ loss) or height loss are signs of missed issues. Cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease to name a few. These three measurements are important and every practice should routinely check them - it’s probably just due to time constraints that they are not done regularly.

I was surprised to have my height and weight measured at my last dermatology appointment.

I get weighed and my BP took annually when I go for my contraception prescription/check up. It's been a few years since I got my height measured though, can't remember what I was there for that time. I quite like it, I don't have weighing scales at home so it's quite the novelty! Been the kick up the arse I need, I'm a stone over what I'd prefer to be.

Once you lose the weight they then tell you it’s your age instead.

Ive been in at out of gynae colposcopy appts over the last 6 years, have has one if not two appointments each year, have had hysterectopy and endrometrial ablation which was under GA. Havent been weighed at any appointment. Have also had colonoscopy appointments and no measurements taken then. The last time I was weighed at any appointment was when I last had a MRI

ah, that does make less sense then! 😂

Nearly 20 years ago now I had lung cancer. I had an operation with a view to a cure (obviously it worked as I'm still here😁) and I had three monthly check ups.

I'd go and have my chest ex ray, then to the outpatients clinic, where the consultant would tell me all was well, or all was very much not well.

every time, prior to seeing the consultant, I'd have my blood pressure taken. I was waiting to be told if I was likely to live or die. If course my ticking blood pressure was high, each time.

I did once mention this to the consultant. He said he never even looked at the blood pressure results, as he would expect them to be high in everyone he ever saw.

it just seemed to be one of those things they did and the reason why was never questioned.

Gynae nurse, its good practice to have all patients height weight as a baseline, as someone said to track dramatic weightloss/gain, to prescribe meds, to signpost to appropriate hospital if surgery required etc. Weight is so subjective, some people think they have lost a huge amount of weight when it could be 4lbs, other could put on 4 stone and think they're trousers are just a but tighter, it's good to have numbers to confirm. Also with centralised care it's useful if you attend cross over clinics like surgical, etc. No judgement. Just good practice to have a baseline BMI.

I was in a Dermatology dept recently for a skin cancer follow-up. There was a woman in the waiting room (for a different clinic, eczema I think) in tears because they were insisting on weighing her and she didn't want to be weighed. All in public as well.

It's just to update your records - in future should any major health issues arise they have a record of your weight. If you don't like it then say you'd rather not do it!

I have a lot of appointments and get measured and weighed each time. I offer to save them the hassle and tell them what last weeks clinic said and around half the time they accept my word for it. My BMI is 22 so no over/underweight concerns

BMI is a factor in a number of gynaecological conditions.

You may not be massively over or under weight in a way which would affect your health; other people may be. So if they weigh everyone, it doesn't look like they're singling out the others for being 'fatties or skinnies', they don't have to make that judgement call every time...

This.