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Women's health

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Original poster

Nurse called my cervix a 'bit of a pig's ear'

66 replies

susannahpop · 05/09/2023 00:07

Been for a smear test today. Before she cracked on I said sometimes it's tricky to locate as cervix is apparently tilted. Once she had swung the speculum round a few times she said 'ooh yes, bit of a pig's ear this one'. That was a bit rude wasn't it?

OP posts:
minipie · 05/09/2023 00:10

Are you sure she wasn’t saying she was making a pig’s ear of it, ie doing a bad job? i’ve never heard something described as a pig’s ear, only ever heard the phrase “making a pig’s ear of it”.

EyesEars · 05/09/2023 00:11

Just a bit! Fair enough if she was talking about your lungs or something, but it's a bit of a sensitive area to be compared to a pigs ear.

RichardsGear · 05/09/2023 00:13

Is it, though? It's not like anyone can see your cervix in day to day life.

Regardless, I agree with minipie.

Clefable · 05/09/2023 00:16

I think she meant she was just struggling with it, not that your cervix is unattractive Grin

Bingus · 05/09/2023 00:25

I was told I have a bulky cervix, which is like a U bend. Which I tried not to take personally! It has caused me loads of problems though!

Pinkpots · 05/09/2023 00:25

Does it matter though, why are you bothered , it’s not like you are going to enter it into a beauty contest

JassyRadlett · 05/09/2023 00:28

The phrase is generally used to describe a job that hasn't been done particularly well - sounds to me like she was commenting on the trickiness of the situation/criticising herself, not passing judgement on the appearance of your cervix.

Flyingalone · 05/09/2023 00:32

Pinkpots · 05/09/2023 00:25

Does it matter though, why are you bothered , it’s not like you are going to enter it into a beauty contest

Well not after this comment!

BirdiePlantaganet · 05/09/2023 00:32

I would probably have laughed.

LauderSyme · 05/09/2023 00:33

My hand instinctively flew to my mouth in shocked horror when I read your thread title.

But rereading, I think by "this one," she meant the smear sample itself?... I hope?!

MumblesParty · 05/09/2023 00:34

She clearly meant it was a tricky cervix to access. She wasn’t being rude.

Original poster
susannahpop · 05/09/2023 00:36

Maybe she did mean the smear test! Was just a bit of an unexpected comment and left me a bit Shock as I walked out!

OP posts:
doroda · 05/09/2023 00:37

She wasn't calling your cervix a pig's ear 🤣🤣🤣

She was finding it tricky, ie she was making a pig's ear of it

EggTheParrot · 05/09/2023 00:37

I think she meant she was making a bit of a pigs ear of it.

I had one recently and made a sale on Etsy as the speculum went inside me, my phone made a Kerching noise like a till opening... honest to God I wanted to die because i laughed and the speculum flew out of my vagina 😂🤣

justinhawkinsnavalfluff · 05/09/2023 00:39

I feel your pain.. I have a tilted womb and during one smear the GP said its a bit of a tunnel down here!!!!

WhatapityWapiti · 05/09/2023 00:41

Yes. It was a self-deprecating criticism of her own skill, not a description of your cervix.

Is English not your first language?

tillylula · 05/09/2023 00:42

I'd be more upset if she said my vulva looks like a ham sandwich. Atleast no one can see your cervix 🤣🤣

HeddaGarbled · 05/09/2023 00:45

I’d have laughed too. Normally they say something like “unusual” but you know what they mean really.

elifont · 05/09/2023 00:51

justinhawkinsnavalfluff · 05/09/2023 00:39

I feel your pain.. I have a tilted womb and during one smear the GP said its a bit of a tunnel down here!!!!

The tunnel comment is definitely rude. Potentially trying to be funny who knows.
Pigs ear comment is a reference to her job, and finding it harder work, nothing to do with it looks like a pigs ear. It's a very common off hand English phrase so don't take offense at all

SM4713 · 05/09/2023 00:52

She meant that SHE was cocking it up!

I too have a retroverted uterus (sometimes referred to as tilted) but its just a less common NORMAL position. Same as someone with say blue eyes might be less common, its still normal!

My practice nurse was also a midwife and said that I should ask for a long speculum for future smears. I used to sit on my fists, raise myself on pillows etc but the longer speculum works! Ask for that next time.

DoughnutDreams · 05/09/2023 00:54

It's not exactly trauma-informed care. You have a right to expect better from such an intimate examination.

doroda · 05/09/2023 09:03

DoughnutDreams · 05/09/2023 00:54

It's not exactly trauma-informed care. You have a right to expect better from such an intimate examination.

What on earth has using a colloquial expression got to do with trauma?

35965a · 05/09/2023 09:07

It was a silly thing to say really - when you’re rummaging around inside someone’s body you really should watch what you say. I, as many have stated, took it to mean that she was making a pigs ear out of the smear itself because she was having difficulty, nothing to do with your cervix at all.

Bonbonbonbonbons · 05/09/2023 09:13

Blimey - some people are sensitive aren’t they?

Tjjd2023 · 05/09/2023 09:26

Unless she's like you and doesn't understand what the saying means🤔 nobody has considered that strangely!