To wonder why men work in gynecology?

[CustardC]

Genuine question, my sisters and I were discussing our most recent smear tests and sister 1 commented on how her nurse was male. I've always asked for a female when I book a smear or any type of gyne issues and it's always been respected, but it got me thinking...if there are any men here who work in that field, why?

I'm fully prepared for the backlash that ill probably get but honest question👍

Interesting that while this thread has progressed, we've also seen press coverage of the cancellation of a woman's operation because she insisted on all female nursing staff in the recovery period.

I couldn't quite understand the single sex toilets part of her complaint though, having recently stayed at The Princess Grace after surgery there.

Unless the floors are vastly different, each patient had a private room with their own en suite. None of the patients were sharing toilet facilities.

A male doctor spent years helping me and my husband through ivf to achieve two successful pregnancies. Later in life a male gynaecologist was the only one to agree to help with with a severe issue, having been turned away by two female doctors.

Surely it's because they have an interest in the subject? I couldn't care less if it was a man or a woman, as long as they know what they are doing.

I had a male gynecologist one time INSIST on inserting a tampon into my vagina. It was decidedly weird.

Did you ever hear of Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis? If not, you definitely should read about him.

He was an obstetrician in Vienna in the 1800's who worked in a women's "lying in hospital," where women went to give birth. He wanted ob/gyn's to wash their hands between patients. Women commonly died of childbed fever, and he found that by washing his hands between deliveries, he could reduce the death rate from CBF.

His male gynecologist colleagues refused to listen to him, and laughed at him, and he died in an insane asylum. They didn't care enough about their women patients to try to lower the death rate. It wasn't until Joseph Lister came along, and said the same thing that they listened.

I refuse to have a male ob/gyn.

Unless the floors are vastly different, each patient had a private room with their own en suite. None of the patients were sharing toilet facilities.

My mistake, I gather this isn't the case in ICU having read the full exchange of emails.

I must admit I've thought about this too. Almost all of the specialists I came across with female issues and IVF have been male. All great at their job but yes i did at times wonder not many female. Surely not because they are at the top of their field and earn more, I hope not. My GP is a gyno specialist and he's the best, he's lovely but do feel a bit awkward at the full on baring all but hey it is what it is. He's also very handsome which doesn't help! X

I had a male midwife for all appointments but he wasn’t there for the actual birth. I was pretty relieved about this as he spoke over me and mainly addressed DH with things like, ‘Are you walking her?’ ‘Are you feeding her?’ 😒I kid not.

Having dated a now consultant when he’d just qualified I never ever have male doctors or nurses for Gyne appointments. He drunkenly told me they do ogle and they do talk about us and how our genitals look. My now husband also works in women’s health (not frontline) and showed me a watts app message from a top consultant with a joke about his fishy fingers. I actually avoid male doctors for everything unless I’m desperate.

@bluesapphire48

I had a male gynecologist one time INSIST on inserting a tampon into my vagina. It was decidedly weird

Sorry what?

I’ve never had a smear done by a gynaecologist, it’s always been a nurse at the GP surgery, and always female.

Having said that though I’ve only even seen 1 female gynaecologist, all the rest have been male. I also recently had my first experience with a male sonographer.

when I was 17 the guy I lost my virginity too told me he cheated on me and he had an STD. I went to the GUM clinic and the doctor to take my swab etc was a man. I asked for a woman and he had a massive go at me, as did all the other staff. Only one man had ever looked at my fanny before and he had just betrayed me, plus I was distraught with a broken heart. There was just no way I was letting another man look at fanny, especially one I didn’t know! I went to another place and was seen by a very sweet old lady which I was totally at ease with. I remember I wrote a letter to the first clinic afterwards to explain the situation and asking them to be kinder in the future as it takes a lot of courage to go to those clinics in the first place and they have no idea the reasons behind why the people are there.

Male gynaecologist saved my sons life (transverse lie, emergency c. Section) and then a few months later he rebuilt my battered, prolapsed innards. He was amazing, kind, witty and definitely not some kind of weirdo for spending his days looking up fannies

Maybe it’s the length of the study period.
Dr Google says After their undergraduate training, newly qualified doctors undergo 2 years of foundation programme training before choosing a specialty. In obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G), specialty training takes 7 years.
However, now that women are having their own children later, maybe we will see more female gynecologists in the future.

As long as I get good treatment I don’t care who does it.

Why would a woman want to stare at women's sometimes torn and disfigured vaginas???

Who knows why people like and are interested in what they are interested in. I would imagine from my own experience (not an MD but in health care) I ended up specializing due to a combination of personal interest and experience in my own family, and opportunities that came my way after a placement. And gynae goes together with obstetrics so maybe they like helping babies into the world.

No one should want to look but someone’s got to do the job and I’d rather it be another woman that has the same anatomy as me. Or are you part of the fairy brigade?! Let’s not go there my point was clear

Yup!… I’ve always wondered at what point a male doctor in training thinks ‘I want to work with Fannie’s!’…
I get why women would want to help other women, if they’d had issues themselves and wanted to help other women ….
but men wanting to look at them all day does seem rather strange and a maybe a little perverse! I would also always ask for a female .. smears are bad enough when a woman does them..

That's fine for you to want a female gynae and I hope your wishes would get to be fulfilled whenever u need it, but doesn't really answer why u think its weird that men specifically have chosen this career path, especially given you've just admitted its not nice for anybody to be looking at? And dunno what you mean by "fairy brigade"....?

Of course. A man has every right to ask for male only doctors/nurses…. We all have the right to choose who sees our private parts!

I don't think there are sinister reasons for men to do this work but I have always chosen a female doc. I would find it very embarrassing to be examined by a male doctor. Any other stuff I'm fine talking to a male doc.

Tbf I watched loads of birth programmes when I was pregnant and it wasn't at all sexual. The same with breasts and breastfeeding. So I can imagine that for health professionals your body parts are just like any body parts.

I've had a lof of gynae issues and used to have panic attacks when I had a male gynaecologist due to previous abuse. I don't think there's necessarily anything strange about a man being a gynaecologist, but I much prefer a woman. A man did my hysterectomy but as I was under anaesthetic, the idea was easier to deal with

😂😂😂

The Adam Kay book with the references to "brats and twats" did make me less comfortable with men. Somehow male Drs seem more acceptable than nurses and MW maybe just culturally what was the norm for so long