Male obstetricians & gynaes

[RevoltingPeasant]

This is just a musing, really.

What do you think about men who work in obstetrics & gynaecology? In my undergraduate women's studies days, I would've bristled and said, 'What? Why does it matter whether the dr is a man?'

But since joining MN I have read so much about assault during childbirth, rude and dismissive HCPs, and it does seem that most of these comments are about male doctors. Recently I have started to wonder if bad treatment of maternity patients is related to the still-preponderance of male HCPs.

Would we be better off with mostly female consultants in this area? Would you go to a hospital/ clinic entirely staffed by women? Do you think women drs listen to women more?

Or is this a non-issue?

Mine was an NHS one. It seems to have morphed into Lothian NHS Sexual Health Service which doesn't seem to me the same thing at all. By quite a long way.

Period problems have nothing to do with sexual health. Looking at the specific website I see sections , for example, on a gender identity clinic and a special clinic for "women involved in the commercial sex industry" and no section at all relating to non-sexual gynaecological issues.

The one I went to was a standalone NHS clinic. I was referred by my gp but it wasn't part of my gp's surgery.

Male gynaecologists have been telling women for years that female genitalia is just another body part to them. If that's the case why wouldn't they give their own mothers a cervical smear test

Possibly because their mothers might not want it?

If I still lived in the village I grew up in there is a possibility smears would be done by a female school friend. I would not want her to do them. I certainly would not want my son , if he were a doctor, or for that matter my hypothetical daughter.

But it's just another body part ? Why not ? Because it isn't just another big day part. Is it ?

Correction body part. Is it?

It has never crossed my mind that I might be sexually assaulted by a male doctor during a gynaecological examination.
I've absolutely no preference either way, a Dr is a Dr.
When I had to have internal exams numerous times after a difficult birth it was with a male consultant but there was a female nurse in the room each time. I wouldn't have minded if not but I guess it's reassurance for the female patient and covers the Dr against allegations.
Also - if my son was an oncologist I wouldn't want him treating my cancer. I'd be worried they were too close to me to treat clinically. Same for gynae. Or GP practice.

It's not really is it? That's rather disingenuous.

I really don't care if I am treated by a male or female doctor. I certainly don't want a vaginal examination to be conducted by a close friend or relative.

Male gynaecologists have been telling women for years that female genitalia is just another body part to them. If that's the case why wouldn't they give their own mothers a cervical smear test

I'm not sure many women doctors would examine their dad's penis of prostate.

Every doctor I saw during child birth was male and they were excellent. Every midwife was female and were mostly making sympathetic voices but ignoring me. However .... I have refused smears by male nurses and opted for female. In pain and desperate : don't care and the men were actually better in my own personal experience. Routine and non emergency : don't want a strange man touching my private parts. Probably neurotic and sexist but hey ho

Well maybe I come from a different angle altogether. You see I was a detective inspector and once dealt with a male police surgeon who told me an alleged rape victim's fanny was so loose it was the equivalent of throwing a chip up a very wide street in my local town. Another male doctor who told me that he didn't question the bruising on a 20 month old male child's bottom because if he accused all parents of child abuse he wouldn't have any customers left. He didn't have that particular customer left because that child went on to be murdered. You think men are different because they wear scrubs or a white coat, fine. I will always have my doubts based on my life experience. sexual predators are master manipulators. Fact. I don't want to be subjected to them and I don't want my female relatives having to go to them either.

choccy I've worked with hundreds of dedicated make doctors. Clearly the experiences you've had were totally unacceptable behaviour. You can't tar everyone with the sand brush.