pre-TTC gynae exam?

[LeBFG]

DS was born 7 weeks early and I'm in midst of trying to convince DH to try for a second. I'm also 35 so clock is ticking loudly in my ear! So, we've agreed that, as a first step, I can go to the gynae for a once-over...

Any ideas what he'll be checking for? I like to be prepared with questions etc so want to know what to expect. What questions would you ask?

any blood tests - cervical examinations? what'll he be looking for?? bit frightened of quacks :)

35 isn't that old.

Is your cervical smear test up to date? Do you check your breasts regularly for lumps? Apart from that, I don't really know what a doctor would check for.

35 isn't that old i agree - but risks, especially wrt premature births, increase with age so i'm of the opinion of better now than later ...

The hospital recommends a pre-TTC consultation - seems quite the standard here in France. I like to be pre-warned...but like you, I can't really think what'll happen. Smears not up-to-date, so perhaps he'll want that done. Thanks belgo

They will probably palpate your abdomen; may even do an ultrasound looking for ovarian cysts. They may take blood looking at general signs of health - eg. to see if you are anaemic.

Weight, blood pressure, pulse, all the standard health checks.

And give you a prescription for pregnancy vitamins.

Perhaps posting this in living overseas will get you more replies as you are in France?

Gosh, they are clearly more thorough in France than here in the UK. IME GPs here just say "take folic acid and have lots of sex" and don't do any examinations or tests at all.

It's private healthcare. They have to make their money somehow.

I'm not in the UK so maybe I can help. My gynae wasn't interested in doing any fertility investigations until we'd been trying for 12 months. Before that she said it wasn't necessary and a waste of money (I'm pretty sure lots of Drs would think differently and pocket the money). As it was, we did start investigations after 11 months of trying. The gynae check consists of:
pap smear
swabs for STDs
Blood tests to check hormone levels at day 3 and day 21 (this might not be done pre ttc, only if you're having problems)
Blood tests to check thyroid
Blood tests to check HIV, Hepatitis infection
Blood tests for Rubella immunity, measles, chicken pox, also toxiwhatit
Blood tests for other antibodies
Ultrasound of uterus and ovaries
General feel around down there and also a breast check!

Not very pleasant, but quick and thorough. I had been trying for 11 months though so mine were fertility investigations other than a general well being check.

Gosh, thanks for all the replies!! Didn't even know there was an overseas topic, thanks again belgo I reckon they'll want to do the maximum, that's certainly my experience here (eg offered HIV test when I was preggers as par for the course). I hope they'll do the ultrasound mrsden as that may reveal a short cervix for example.

When they feel round down there, what are they looking for btw?

sorry, I should have been clearer when I said felt around down there. I didn't mean internally, she sort of palpated my lower abdomen. I guess feeling for lumps and bumps, I think sometimes it's possible to check for cysts this way. I think she checked my cervix when she did the smear and the STD/infection swabs.

They always do internals here and never say why -

If you're not comfortable with it then you can say no, or at least ask why they need to do it and what they're looking for. It certainly wouldn't be normal to see a gynae before getting pregnant in the UK so you don't have to go and have any examination or tests at all. Unless of course you think there is a problem.

Interesting - I didn't know the exam wasn't normal in UK. I would like to see a health prof before starting TTC for two reasons: to have some facts to splutter to DH in my attempt to persuade him and in case there's anything they recommend I do before TTC to prepare my body etc given the elevated risk of a premmie second time round.

Internals are a bit of an issue actually - I find it difficult being assertive in my own language, let alone in French - and I had an internal 2 days before contractions started (my sister was like when I told her...)

Now I know what to expect, this time round (fingers crossed), it should be easier to ask/insist about what I want/don't want...