Your Mind & Body > Your First Pelvic Exam Going to the doctor for your first pelvic exam can be frightening. However, when you understand what the exam entails, it doesn't seem as bad. This is what usually happens during a pelvic exam. For a pelvic examination, the patient privately removes her underwear and puts on an examination (“hospital”) gown. When the doctor enters, she is asked to lie on her back on a special examining table. Her legs are covered with a sheet. She is asked to bend her knees and put her feet in “stirrups” attached to the table. These help her move her legs and knees away from her genital area. Then the doctor, who is wearing plastic gloves, examines the genital area by looking at it and gently separating the tissue with his or her fingers. If needed, the doctor may also do an internal examination. It usually has two parts. First, an instrument called a speculum is carefully inserted into the vagina. The doctor uses it to hold the walls of the vagina apart so that he or she can see the vagina and the outer end of the uterus, called the cervix. The doctor may use a long cotton-tipped swab or another small tool to take samples from the vagina or cervix. In the second part of the internal examination, the doctor gently removes the speculum. After a special clear jelly or lubricant is applied to the fingers of one hand, the doctor puts one or two fingers inside the vagina. The fingers of the other hand press gently on the lower abdomen. This way, the doctor can feel the organs that are between his or her two hands. Because the doctor uses both hands, this part of the exam is often called a “bimanual” examination. Its purpose is primarily to examine the uterus and the ovaries. After the exam is over, the doctor helps you sit up. You may be given a tissue or cloth for wiping off any extra lubricant, and then you are free to dress privately. Source: TeenGrowth.com < Back to Mind & Body main page