First Time Visiting a Gynecologist: How to Prepare Yourself 101

Seeing a gynecologist for the first time is an exciting step in taking care of your health as a young woman. At the same time, it is completely normal to feel a little nervous! It’s true that seeing your OB/GYN is a bit different from seeing your pediatrician or primary care doctor.

If you’re wondering what it’s like to see a gynecologist, we’ve got all the details for you below. It is always our goal to help you feel safe and cared for when you come to see a gynecologist at Summit Women’s Health.

What should I know before my gynecology appointment?

First of all, your doctor wants to have a relationship with you in which you feel comfortable talking about anything at all. Being able to communicate about topics that we can sometimes feel embarrassed by is very important for your gynecological health. So you may want to prepare for the idea that you’ll be opening up to them a little bit.

You can absolutely tell your doctor how you’re feeling in the appointment. Some phrases that might help are “I sometimes feel uncomfortable talking about these kinds of things,” or “I’ve been feeling a little scared about this appointment.” Your Summit Women’s Health provider has cared for many patients and understands that this is a common feeling! They will do their best to put you at ease, so you can speak openly.

You might be able to say something like “I haven’t talked about this before, but I have a question I wanted to ask you about something going on with my body.” If you’ve ever had questions about anything related to your period, vaginal area, or reproductive health, you may want to write them down before the appointment. That can make it easier to bring them up.

What happens during my first appointment?

Besides getting to know you a bit, your doctor will ask you a good number of questions.

Some of these will be about your personal health history, like whether you’ve gotten your first period and, if so, what your menstrual cycle is like. Your doctor will also ask you about any sexual activity you’ve engaged in, including vaginal, oral, and anal sex.

It is important to answer these questions honestly in order to best protect your health and receive proper care for your body. If you are worried about sharing this information, again, that is very normal. You can talk to your doctor about the confidentiality of your conversation before sharing your answers.

Other questions will be about your family health history, like whether anyone in your family has had breast cancer or uterine cancer. You may want to ask your family about these questions beforehand and write them down so you can easily refer to them.

What are the physical exams that might happen in my first gynecology appointment?

A provider at your doctor’s office will have you do a general physical exam, which is where they measure your height, weight, and blood pressure. This is a good time to bring up any health problems you’ve been noticing to the provider who is doing your exam.

During the first appointment, your doctor will likely do an external genital exam as well. This exam does involve removing the underwear, but does not involve any internal examination of the vagina. Instead, the doctor will inspect the vulva and outside area of the vagina to make sure everything looks okay. They may also provide a mirror for you to see the area as well.

You will likely not receive a pelvic exam during your first appointment unless you are experiencing any abnormal bleeding or pain. A pelvic exam involves the insertion of a device called a speculum so that the doctor can see that the inside of the vagina looks healthy. They will also insert one or two gloved fingers into the vagina to physically check that the internal reproductive organs are healthy. This exam is short and painless, but you can feel free to ask your doctor any questions at all about it.

Will my gynecologist run any tests?

It is not recommended that you receive a Pap smear - which tests for cervical cancer - until the age of 21. However, if you are sexually active at any age, your doctor may test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Those tests can mainly be run with just a urine sample: you’ll take a sterile cup to the bathroom and pee into it. For certain STIs, your doctor may need to collect a blood sample, but this is fairly rare at a first appointment.

Will I receive any vaccines?

Between ages 11 and 18, all women are advised to receive certain vaccines, whether they are related to their pelvic health or not. Your doctor may check whether you need a Tetanus shot, Meningitis shot, or flu shot.

For pelvic health specifically, they will check whether you’ve received the HPV vaccine, which drastically decreases women’s chances of developing cervical cancer.

Other vaccines that may come up include those for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, pneumonia, and Covid-19.

Overall, a first gynecology appointment is designed to be painless, with open conversation and opportunities to bring up any questions you may have. At Summit Women’s Health, we strive to make sure all young women in the Princeton, WV, area are having their gynecological health cared for with respect and kindness. If you are looking to book your first gynecology appointment, give us a call at (681) 282-5591 or book an appointment online.