To ask if you have ever seen a gynaecologist and why?

[GinJarRogers]

I’m mid forties and have never seen a gynaecologist (I’m in the UK). It seems like in other countries this is a routine part of healthcare. Should I be paying for check ups privately? I don’t have any specific issues (that I know of) but it feels like by my age it’s probably a good idea to get checked out. Interested in hearing others experiences, both in the UK and abroad.

once for a consultation re sterilisation in my late 20's (40's now). It was 'authorised' (health reasons) but I didn't go through with it in the end.

@ExSJA That's awful 😭 I'm so sorry that happened to you 😔

@FledglingFountainPen
More likely worse to be honest, mine was 14 years ago...

I'm 41 and I've never seen one. My smears and sexual health screening has always been done by a nurse.

Having said that , I don't know if it would be any more beneficial to have seen a gynaecologist. The nurse was more than able to provide what was required.

I have however, been under an obstetrician, due to previous history.

Like others in European countries, I see mine when she sends me a letter every 3 years for a smear test and to check in about whether I require contraception/to change my method of contraception. Also saw her every month during pregnancies and again at 6 weeks and then 6 months post partum.

If there is no issue why would you need to see one? By that reckoning you should also see an eye specialist or a heart specialist.

I would generally expect a specalist to be better at their specialisation than a GP or nurse. Also, all my friends in the UK always complain about their smears and how horrendeous coil removals/insertions are. I don't even notice the former and don't feel the latter - so again, maybe a person who does those more frequently is more skilled.

Where I am, you are indeed expected to get an ophtalmologist check up as well. And DH's GP just referred him for a full check up, including a cardiologist - no concerns, just because he turned 45, apparently standard preventative practise.

Numerous, over many years (gynae problems). Not one was female…

Yes after the birth of my son I was referred because my cervix looked a bit funny. I had 2 colposcopies 6 months apart and biopsies taken. All fine.

Then in my early 40s due to heavy and painful periods. I had a hysteroscopy and biopsy that time. Again nothing sinister was found.

I don’t think you need checking if you have no symptoms and have regular smears.

it's not something that happens in uk because our practice nurses do the pap smears etc. midwives do all the baby related issues and your gp for birth control. where as other countries you see a specialist for each issue. i see a gynae in middle east, once saw one in uk when i had an issue with a smear result

It would just be so expensive to do this on the NHS in the UK, people don’t want to pay more taxes to fund this and even if there were more resources then most of the public would want it spent on reducing waiting times for procedures/care to alleviate painful/life limiting conditions as a priority. . Those who are up for to paying for private medical care for this type of service already have this option available to them but don’t think most of the financially struggling public want to pay higher taxes to fund this for everyone.

Yes, for cervical screening and ultrasound. They identified potential cancerous cells. Lucky, it wasn't. Now, because the smear hurts so incredibly, I go to the hospital for the tests under GA.

At the initial stages of fertility investigations I was referred to gynae. Not seen one since.

don’t think most of the financially struggling public want to pay higher taxes to fund this for everyone.

yes, of course that is a fair argument. But that's about mismanaged NHS - not that seeing specialists (including gyne) is inherently pointless and unnecessary.

If there is no issue why would you need to see one

Things are different in other countries. A lot is preventative care.

I read here all the time about women experiencing pain during a smear, so much so that they refuse another. It's not a feared test here because of who is doing the test, gynaes do it all day every day and have mastered doing it as pain free as possible. Even my DD who went for her first said it was just like a scratch.

When I say preventative, there are things that get picked up sooner and then don't become an issue. For eg, my bladder. On the scan showed a pocket where the urine was not emptying. Was told what to do in order to get that section to clear, I followed the advise and the next check up, j could see the pocket was no longer there and was now smooth as rest of the bladder. . If left it causes leakage and bladder issues down the line.

I said upthread that during a scan he showed my colon in spasm. Yes I had sone stomach issues but there and then we could see the problem, and now I'm treated for it without oh it could be this, so let's try that etc etc.

My daughter has painful periods. Instead of just taking pain relief she was checked and she has a diagnosis and now being treated.

We have medical insurance yes, a yearly pap smear for a female is encouraged yearly and they cover everything related on a yearly basis. This includes mammograms (over 40 years), bone density tests etc etc. I don't have a problems now, but I will go every year so previous scans can be checked, if something is found, it is found quick. And treated accordingly.

Same with for eg, dermatologist. I see him yearly. All fine until 2 years ago he picked up something odd that wasn't there a year before. Stage 2 squamous cell. It was taken out and I continue to see him regularly.

It's just a different system. I'd rather it be this way personally.

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. So interesting to hear different perspectives in the UK and abroad. I do think the fact women in the UK don’t see a gynaecologist unless/until they have problems is an issue. Preventative care would make so much more sense, but clearly that would require large investment and mean prioritising women’s health which never seems to be on anyone’s agenda.

I don’t think seeing specialists is pointless and personally think it would be great (and probably make the NHS more efficient and definitely improve patient outcomes) if patients (and referring practitioners) had easier access to specialists.
For example where specialist services have been introduced it’s usually massively improved the patient outcomes and improved efficiency as previously non specialists would spend excessive time ‘trying to do their best’ but not very effectively or efficiently. I absolutely have no problem paying extra taxes so that a woman with heavy periods or finds smears painful gets to see a specialist. The same as I’d happily pay more so 80 year olds are not waiting for 12 hours on an a&e trolley. However switching to a system where everyone saw specialists routinely would inevitably be more expensive than the current system and personally don’t think that’s a necessary expense to ask everyone to pay for through their taxes

I would much, much rather that there was a policy focus on consistently good maternity care, and that black women weren't at higher risk when giving birth in the UK. I'd also like faster response to actual gynae symptoms. I think there is very little evidence that a gynae check of asymptomatic women once a year actually improves care. It's clear from this thread that things like smears and oral contraceptives are often the focus of the annual checks, and the UK has a different system for that.

I saw one when I was being investigated for ?endometriosis (grateful that it wasn't endo)

My mum saw one when she had an abnormal cervical smear (also grateful it wasn't cervical cancer but was, can't remember the term, abnormal cell growth that needed ablating before it turned into actual cancer)

I saw a gynaecologist at A&E when I presented with symptoms of a ruptured ectopic pregnancy. EPU had confirmed I had an ectopic the day before and A&E sent me to see the emergency gynaecologist who admitted me and organised a second scan for the next day (I turned up late at night).

I'm not sure if the doctor who performed the surgery an hour after my second scan was a gynaecologist or an obstetrician. Either way, she saved my life.

I also see gynae’s for my smear tests. That’s only because I’m a wheelchair user and need to be hoisted on to a bed for it though, and they only have hoisting facilities at the hospital.

Yes. In the US I didn’t have to have a referral so I went directly to gynaecologist for any issues, smear tests etc. During my pregnancy in Canada I chose to have a ob gyn throughout as I wanted a c- section (I could chose to be monitored by midwife, GP or obgyn). He also saw me for post delivery check ups and any other non pregnancy related gynae issues.

I got 55% YABU which I take on board but not even sure what the question was?!? Really just posting in AIBU for traffic. Anyway, thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. It was an interesting read and I guess the upshot is I probably won’t see a gynaecologist unless I have a specific problem, but if/when that happens I won’t hesitate to push for a referral.