Do you request a female doctor/nurse to do your smear test?

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Just that really.

It’s always been a female. Hadn’t really thought about it but I’d rather not have a man, as I agree they don’t tend to listen. Would rather someone who had an idea what a cervix feels like too.

What I appricated most about giving birth was being surrounded by supportive women. It was a very powerful female experience unlike any I’ve had (although my surgeon was a male and a male midwife was present but so were about 28 women so they were in our world )

I’ve always female pratice nurse but on one occasion she was unable to reach my cervix so my male GP popped in and did it..don’t have a problem with who does it so long as they do it properly! Like some others..pre children I might have been embarrassed to have a male nurse but now it wouldn’t bother me

Also always make sure it’s a nurse regardless of gender. The one time a GP (female) did mine it was an incomplete sample so had to go back for another and the nurse said the doctors always do it wrong.

I would never ask for a female specifically.

But if on the day I didn't want the doctor or nurse I ended up with - for whatever reason - I would certainly ask for a different one.

You can do that can't you, ask for a different medical professional for no reason at all? At least I believe you can.

Nurse does it here. They're all female at ours, but I have had a male community MW assigned when I had DS.

I think all the nurses at my GPs' surgery seem to be women. And I tend to ask to see a female GP if I think I might need an intimate exam.

And yet, I once had a male gynaecologist, and after the first appointment I was over my embarrassment. Also, he's the only medical professional to examine me who managed to insert the speculum painlessly.

No, it doesn't bother me. I've had male and female doctors and nurses do exams and personally didn't find the experience any different with either

Yes. I always request a female, for any and all womans health issues/tests/examinations, the only exception to that was during the birth of my DD, when I was asked if I was ok with some student doctors/midwifes observing the delivery, three men then walked in.

I just tell the receptionist I need an appointment for a smear, don't specify but it's always been a woman. Then again both practice nurses are female. Wouldn't bother me having a man do it though as long as he knew what he was doing although I suspect they probably don't get as much practice at doing them if people always ask for women.

It wouldn't bother me who did it, as long as they knew what they were doing.

I have my suspicions that I was actually assaulted by my former gp (male) during an (in my opininon) unecessary and unrequested examination when I was 18, I dont wish to go into details, but I have recently been very uncomfortable about it, looking back now with the experience of age.

I don't, though I fully support women's right to do so. Doctors and nurses are so firmly fixed in my mind as "medical professionals" that I pretty much see them as genderless.

The only time I remember it being an issue was rocking up at A&E with a fairly intimate and embarrassing ailment - and getting a young and absolutely bloody gorgeous male doctor. I would've been delighted to meet him under almost any other circumstance.

Dont really mind either way. But, given the choice, i prefer the female practice nurse for a smear as she has slim hands and is incredibly gentle!

My male GP inserted my copper coil and although he was gentle, i ended up with blood on my sock!!

Had a male medical student observing when i delivered DC1; it was his first birth, he asked permission to stay, was actually really helpful, and was overwhelmed by the experience and could not have been more grateful. A few more of those would go a long way to making woman more relaxed about male healthcare i feel

RatRolyPoly I don't know if you can decline a clinician just because you don't like the look of them. Presumably you couldn't specify race, for instance?

I used to go to a women's centre for my smears, rather than the surgery, simply because it was easier to slip out of work to attend the clinic. One time, the female doctor was ill and they called in a retired male gynaecologist to perform them that day. They did ask us if we minded having a man do them and some of the ladies who were of a different culture decided to cancel their appointment which I understood. I decided that since I was there, I may as well have it done even though I prefer a woman doing the smear. He was pretty useless to be honest and took about 20 mins whereas the usual doctor did it in about 5 mins flat!

At my GP the female practice nurses do the smear
I do understand why women express a preference

I go to an all-female practice so it doesn't arise. The doctor who does my exam always has a nurse in with her too. I have deliberately chosen a female GP, Obgyn, and dermatologist. My eye doctor is male.

One of the most supportive people in my first delivery was a male intern so I have no objection to men in general but generally prefer female health care providers.

No but I've only had female nurses do the smear test, I've had men undertake loop procedures though.

It doesn't bother me who does what but I do understand why some women may prefer women only for intimate exams.

My practice nurse is female so when you book you know it will be her. When i needed to go to the hospital for further treatment it was a male - and he was lovely, a female assisted him. If I recall correctly they asked for my consent prior to taking the sample from my cervix, but did not ask if I minded a male - which I didn't anyway. The 2 staff present both did their job well, and put me at ease.

I had a lot of IVF treatment and about 50% of my doctors were male - again no-one asked if I minded a male. Every doctor was introduced to me - I could have asked for another if I wanted....I was paying for it. Consent was asked for before any test or treatment, I was happy with the treatment I received.

It doesn’t personally bother me either way but I am absolutely 100% supportive of a woman’s right to do so. I would not want even one woman to be subjected to invasion of her body or space by a man against her wished and/or without her express agreement and/or consent and I do not care what the stats on it might be, I will fight for that ONE WOMAN if need be.

Of course.

I don’t mind. I’ve had a smear done by a male GP (he was really handsome ) once when I was younger and they didn’t get enough cells on the first test so the second had to be done by a GP, and there was a female nurse there too.

The rest have all been done by female nurses. Totally agree if you want a female doing it then that’s what you should get.

I don't really care either way but my GP always has a chaperone if a male doctor is doing something intimate, so generally they seem to schedule a woman to do it. Which is a bit rough on the men not getting to practice their skills and on the women who end up spending all day poking various ladyparts.

BUT, I understand how many women have had awful experiences with men and/or male doctors, so I completely understand and support the right of women to ask for a female doctor or a chaperone.

(And now I am remembering the poor male GP who I asked to poke my breast because I thought I could feel a lump. I am very, very well endowed and as it turns out also have lumpy breast tissue. He had to call in reinforcements, poor love, he looked really embarrassed when he told me he wasn't sure what he was feeling. I think his doctorly pride was hurt.)

I would always request a female.