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

[catscan]

Just that really.

Doesn't bother me at all for smear tests, but I have requested a woman doctor for medical issues in the past. (TBH it was to avoid having to discuss the problem with a particular elderly male doctor who I knew socially )

I always ask for a female. I felt deeply uncomfortable and quite upset by male staff being involved in each of my children's births. I know that is probably an unpopular thing to say and obviously I am thankful for the safe deliveries of both babies... but I can't help how uncomfortable it made me feel at such a vulnerable and undignified moment.

I have heard that some women prefer male drs/nurses as they find them more sympathetic and also more gentle so I guess it is individual choice.

I don't care who does it. But I totally understand that some people might feel different, and they shouldn't hesitate to ask for a female when booking the appointment.

No. I'm perfectly happy with either.

I’ve never requested a woman, but I’ve always (I’ve just this week had my third) had one. Whenever I’ve made an appointment I’ve specified that I’ve had my smear invitation letter and they’ve always given me an appointment with a female nurse. I’m not sure if there are any male nurses at my surgery, actually.

I think I’d be absolutely fine with a male, though since it hasn’t happened, I can’t say for certain.

No, and it wouldn't occur to me to ask for one. But it's a legal requirement where I live that if a male practitioner is examining a female's breasts or an area 'normally covered by her underwear' that a female staff member (nurse or assistant) be present.

A male per se has never bothered me, although I admit to 'giving pause' when they started being the same age as my children!

No. Have had male and female for every gynaecological thing, I don't care who does it.

No (and although I haven't had it done by a man, I have had a coil inserted by a male doctor). Like everyone else though, I totally understand why people would want to, and think you should always have the right to request it.

Meant to say: male midwife, coil inserted by a man, various vaginal examinations done by a man and smears too.

I just don't think twice about it. They are a medical professional doing their job, their gender is irrelevant to me.

I wouldn’t mind either way but the males that have examined me were much gentler. The nurse at my practice hurts when she does them!

I wouldn't care either way, so long as they do a good job.

No. I’ve had both a male and female midwife when giving birth and the man was infinitely more gentle and considerate of my needs and wishes. Also my IVF consultant was a man and he did all sorts to me! I really don’t think it matters.

But to be clear I strongly think that women should have the right to insist on a female (xx) doctor or nurse to carry out these procedures.

I had IVF twice. So many people have seen my fanjo I don't care any more. I might feel uncomfortable without a chaperone tbh, but the fanjo-gazers always seem to come in pairs.

No. I'd hope they were professional. Also, that's rather assuming that there are no lesbian doctors or nurses.

No. I'd hope they were professional. Also, that's rather assuming that there are no lesbian doctors or nurses.

Huh?

Yes. Always.

The only internal exam I had by my old male obgyn was after DD and I had built up a relationship with him over 3 years and I felt comfortable. Plus he just had a very nice bedside manner.

But generally no I would not want a male.

Also I don't see why stats are relevant. If 90% of women don't care then good for them. The other 10% may care a lot for very triggering, personal and emotional al reasons. They should always have the choice. I say that as an ex HCP

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

^^ this

I would definitely ask for a female doctor/nurse to do my smear but I've never had to as it's always been a female nurse in our practice.

Women should absolutely have the choice as to whether a male or female attends them for this, no question about it.

I’ve only had a female nurse do a smear, but a man did my colposcopy, with a woman present - they are very kind at the colposcopy place in our nearest hospital and everything is set up to put you at your ease.

My community midwife last time was a man and he was brilliant. I ended up having 3 sweeps and I would have been happy to have him at the birth, although I got a lovely woman instead, and would choose her again if there was an opportunity to do so. This time round I’ve seen 3 women so far and I’m not as comfortable with them just down to their manner.

I’ve never requested a woman for any procedure before, but I would consider it as I’ve found many male gps to be quite dismissive and unhelpful. I’d rather not bother seeing a gp at all in pregnancy as they’ve always been a bit clueless - things like panicking they can’t feel baby on one side of the bump when it’s fecking obvious that it’s all shoved up on the other side from the shape of the bump.

I think the right to request a hcp the same sex as you is very important, even if I never do it myself. Presumably it’s not always possible when you’re seeing a specialist, but the right to a chaperone hopefully compensates for this. I’m personally not that bothered about things like lots of students being present, but can understand others being. As pp said, if there is just one woman who feels uncomfortable, I would fight for her right to see a female hcp.

I knew the lesbian thing would pop up!

My nurse is a woman and a lesbian. Many happy chats about families and pictures of her wife and child are on her desk. I would much much rather have her than a male HCP.

Theoretically a lesbian doing a smear is doubly good; having a fanjo herself and also seeing multiple personal and professional fanjos.

No chaperone. I'm perfectly happy, safe and confident with her.

I don't personally but after 8 vaginal births Im pretty much immune to any fanjo embarrassment anyways.
I do however empathise with people that do feel uncomfortable with it.

All my pelvic scans and internals have been done by a man but female present - same as when I was in labour my doctor was a guy and lovely and I think hubby had more issue than me lol

Our practice always asks on phone when booking nurse if it's for a woman's check and if the day we get an appointment isn't staffed by a female then they give us the date a female is available and if that's no good then they suggest the Sandyford which is 100% female staffed for smears etc.

Personally don't care- if they are embarrassed then they are in wrong profession lol

I would ask for a woman. My body, my decision.

I don't request a woman, though at my current surgery there's only one (female) nurse who does all the smear tests anyway.

Weirdly, the least sympathetic doctor I've ever had regarding "women's issues" (severe itching during period) was a woman, so I haven't bothered since to specifically ask for a woman to discuss those sorts of things. She was very much of the mindset of if it hadn't caused her any problems, then it couldn't cause me any problems either.

Cat you are asking a lot of questions today, are you doing a survey?
I ask for a female for smear tests, after the occasion when my (male) gp rammed the speculum with such force I cried out. I also ask to see the female gp for gynea things as I have found males dismissive as in "its your age" and "it's only a period/ the menopause stop worrying " when I was suffering with extremely heavy and painful bleeding.

The actual statistics don't matter, if you are happy with a male hcp, then fine, good for you. Some of us are not, and we absolutely should have the right to be seen by a biological woman.