to wonder why American women go to the gynaecologist so much, and whether we should to?

[Ribbet]

Do they really have regular check ups or is it something I've seen on TV, just for routine smears, contraception and those services we use GPs/ practice nurses for? And if they do go more often, do US women have better gynaecological health Han those of us in the UK?

Can anyone in the US enlighten me as to what "strep throat" ins in English. I thought the children just had a sore throat/cold but apparently they had "strep" which is really bad.

I've often wondered about this too and the fact their births seem so medical and doctor led. Just for the record I don't watch a lot of crap on discovery home and health... Honest!

Nothinggold strep throast is a streptococcal infection, or pharyngitis. I have no idea what it's called in the UK.

But please can you enlighten me what a "chest infection" is... I always thought that it was just a bad cold but apparently everyone in the UK gets chest infections which is much worse.

Also, everyone whining that the USA is over-medicalised, are you the same ones who complain about how useless your GP is here? Jack of all trades, master of nothing comes to mind when I think of my experience of GPs in the UK.

Children in the US tend to see pediatricians as they are doctors specialised in problems with children. Same with all of our trips to the OB-Gyn for our 'lady problems' or smears etc.

The flip side of this is here, where I've had to re-schedule an appt with a GP because once I arrived and he found out why I was visiting, he told me he couldn't do a female exam without a nurse present (?!) so I'd have to come back the next week. At least if I'm booking an appt with an OB-Gyn, we're both going into it knowing that someone is probably going to have to look at my ladygarden, regardless of whether or not that doctor is male or female.

My insurance company was an HMO in the US, which means the company employs the doctors you visit. They essentially had large 'practices' (but by that I mean, something the size of an office building) with all kinds of specialty doctors available. If I rang to say my child needed to be seen, he would be scheduled with the pediatrician. If one wasn't available, he would see a nurse. I know when I was a very small child, my family had a GP who saw all of us, but that's a situation that depends on your insurance company. Unfortunately.

Please note, I love the NHS, certainly by comparison to the US system it's much much better. It's just that both systems allocate doctors in a different way, and we don't really see visiting an OB-Gyn (for example) as that much of a specialty. Probably because we have to see one every year at least in order to keep our Pill prescriptions valid.

Ive never ever heard of any children in the UK having strep throat, but it seems to be a routine infection for US kids. I reckon its tonsillitis or a throat infection? Also never heard of any kids just having a sore throat or a cold in the US!

Also, of course we don't "all" rush our children off to the doctor as soon as they get a sniffle.

Strep throat is terrible, your tonsils become inflamed and it's notable by the little blisters that appear on them.

I've had it since living here. The GP called it strep throat, so I assume it's a term used here?

Missingmum that is an awful story. How sad.

I used to go to the gyno every year because I was on the pill. Most of the time for the annual exam you don't see a doctor but a nurse practitioner; you see the gyno if something is wrong.

The great thing about it is the efficiency aspect, basically at one appointment you can get your smear, your birth control, a breast exam, and any other general health issues (like hayfever medicine). It saves a lot of time and it's nice going to someone who specialises in this area.

I have seen SO many stories on MN from women with obvious gynocological issues who have been dismissed by their GPs, can't get a referral, have to wait weeks to see someone, etc. It just seems crazy to me. I absolutely believe women should be able to self-refer to the gyno.

You can debate the effectiveness of the annual exam (which I believe actually most women do not get) but the US has much better stats on breast and ovarian cancer despite not everyone being insured, and I think better access to gynos must be part of that.

cakewench - a chest infection is bronchitis but normally you go to the doctor and they just say "chest infection" and you get antibiotics and wait for summer.

I also think you do "rush children over to the doctor" cakewench. How would you get tested for "strep" without it?

I like the idea of accessible obs/gynae specialism

In the UK Chest Infection is generally used to mean a lung infection requiring antibiotics. If the word Infection is used its usually in need of treatment.

I think Strep throat and Tonsillitis are the same thing.

SIL is always having CTs and MRIs and the DNs are regularly taken to see a paediatrician.

I have no idea about gynae outcomes but the rate of deaths in childbirth in the USA is shocking.

it's similar in germany (as posted above) women go to a women's dr (frauenarzt) for smears, mammograms, bone density, pill prescription, map, early abortions, pregnancy care incl scans, sometimes the ob/gyn will even attend your birth in hospital.
the paed does everything from minor injuries, stitches, vaccinations, check ups, physio for various things...

Um, strep is awful and certainly worth a doctor's visit. It's not just a sore throat, it's total agony. Why wouldn't you want to spare your child a bit of that?

"can you enlighten me what a "chest infection" is... I always thought that it was just a bad cold but apparently everyone in the UK gets chest infections which is much worse"

A chest infection is definitely not just a bad cold. I'm asthmatic and suffer very badly from chest infections. Rattly chest and disgusting bright green phlegm being coughed up are the usual signs. I've had bad colds and they are nothing like the struggle for breath, painful hacking cough and disgusting abundanct of phlegm that comes with a chest infection.

I did go "rush to the doctor" when I had strep because I couldn't swallow without tears coming to my eyes. I was given antibiotics, life went on.

My comment was in direct reference to people saying we "rush to the doctor" "at every sniffle", and I thought that was obvious, but clearly it was not. The generalisations here there every American is somehow a hypochondriac because of our medical system simply aren't true.

Is strep throat what people in the Uk call tonsilitis?

Yes, what the hell is strep?

I see that possibility has already been suggested!

I have never heard of the term "strep throat" in the UK.

I think strepococcus can cause problems in childbirth or something? But that is different and called strepococcus (sp)

It seems that way.

I don't think it's the same thing. I had strep even though I don't have tonsils. I had blisters on the back of my throat (ow ow ow).

well "strep" ie stropoccus is to do with toxic shock syndrome here which we all know about with tampons and also open wounds which is where the childbirth thing comes in.

it's tonsilitis

There's many different types of strep bacteria. A different strain is the flesh-eating bacteria, and another one is Group B strep (which is the one that can cause illness and death in newborns).

Btw all pregnant women in the US are tested for Group B. I think generally Americans get too many tests but on this one it's a good idea.