Are “practice pap smears” ethical?
595360
I can not imagine anything more unethical and damaging. Many people who are under anesthesia or in a coma are also more conscious than others as has been proved when patients who love their doctor wake up and despise him. It was found that many patients were able to hear things that happened and jokes told during surgery. Many doctors abandoned the practice.\nAny hospital that would perform such an action should be sued and big time. This is cruel and damaging.
421935
The purposes of a pelvic exam are as follows:\n To examine your reproductive organs and determine if they are healthy\n  To screen for vaginal infections and sexually transmitted diseases (STD's)\n  To help determine what method of birth control is best for you\n  To check for early signs of cervical cancer, which can be treated and cured if found early\n \nPelvic exams and Pap smears may save nearly 16,000 women from dying of cervical cancer this year.\n\nPlease go to the website provided.  It will explain in detail what to expect.  It even gives you tips on how to make the exam more comfortable and what you can do to make sure you get accurate results.\n\nhttp://www.ppslr.org/Teenserv/Firstexam.htm
238241
i don't think your doctor can do that. it is your choice, but if you were to go in for a regular pap smear and get birth control and then never go back for a pap and need more birth control, i think the doctor can refuse. you have to have a pap smear in order to get birth control, but like i said if you already had one then i don't think the doc can refuse.
906600
Every woman should get a pap smear every year starting either at age 18, or when they first become sexually active...whichever comes first.
934943
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pap-smear/HQ01177\n\nHere's how the whole thing goes.\nBe sure to relax, and use the bathroom first to empty your bladder or bowels. Having to go to the bathroom during an exam is not a fun experience. Your doctor will begin with:\n\n    * Some questions about your medical history you and your mother will answer together.\n    * A basic physical exam, just like at a "regular" doctors, including an examination of your eyes and ears, heart and lungs, blood pressure, and weight.\n    * Abasic abdominal exam, where (s)he massages your stomach and hip area, and will ask if any spots are tender or painful.\n    * (S)he may also take some blood samples from your arm to check your hormone levels (which in the case of abnormal periods, may be out of whack). You may also get a standard blood and urine screen for STDs. \n\nBefore or after this point, you'll be given a gown to get into. Most likely, before the pelvic exam, the doctor will do a breast exam, during which (s)he will feel your breasts and chest area in massaging movements to check for any lumps or irregularities.\n\nNow, or perhaps sometime before, you may have noticed that the table you're on has stirrups, and the doctor will pull them out and ask you to slide your feet into them, and move your torso down on the table so that your bottom is sitting on the edge.\n\nTo see what your doctor sees, check out our map of your genitals. Your doctor will then first just look at the appearance of your vagina, looking for any lumps or bumps, swelling, funny colors, or unusual discharge. (S)he may put a finger on your vagina to see if your glands put out any pus or mucus when touched.\n\nYou may or may not get a speculum exam. A speculum is a sanitary plastic or metal clamp device which is used to hold open the vagina so that the doctor can examine your vaginal walls and cervix. If you have not had intercourse or have not stretched your own vaginal walls in masturbation or simply by exploring your body yourself, this may hurt a little bit, but the doctor will gage a size of speculum that is right for you so that it is not too uncomfortable. The best way I can describe it to you is that it doesn't usually hurt any more than when the dentist has your mouth spread very wide for cleanings. You may feel some pressure in your bladder (it may feel suddenly like you have to urinate, even if you don't) when the speculum is in, and if you do, let your doctor know, and (s)he will make adjustments so that you are more comfortable. If you receive a Pap Smear while you are there, (s)he will use a long q-tip of sorts to scrape a the cervix for tests. This scraping doesn't hurt, it just feels a little funny, as you may not be used to feeling something on your cervix.\n\nYou can take a look at where your cervix is, and what your doctor is checking out with this illustration of your internal reproductive anatomy.\n\nIf you're curious, you can ask your doctor to get a mirror and show you what your cervix looks like when the speculum is in.\n\nAt this point, the doctor will remove the speculum, and after gloving their hands will insert fingers into your vagina while they put their other hand on your abdomen and torso. (S)he'll press different spots on your tummy and hips and ask if anything feels painful or tender. It can be a little strange, to have someone you don't really know have their hand in your genitals. The best advice I can give you is to understand that's it's really no different from a doctor looking down your throat or in your ears. The only difference is that in our culture, we have put different importance on the genitals, and have different feelings of privacy. Gynecologists aren't perverts who just want to spend all day looking at women's vaginas. They are a specialized practice, just like someone who chooses to do heart surgery, and in general, are people whose personal cares lie in wanting to
390167
I don't know who told you health authorities found the practice safe - IT IS NOT!\n\nHealth Authorities ARE WARNING ITS A DANGEROUS THING TO DO!\nYou run the risk of death or living as a vegetable from brain damage when you screw up.., meaning someone will have to feed you, cloth you, clean you, you cant go and hang out with friends..., you have a non existent life.\n\nDO NOT RISK IT. Other kids who practice this will tell their friends that these warnings are just to get you to stop.\n\nAny time you shut off blood flow to the brain, there is a risk of death or brain damage.
1142638
Pap smears detect cervical cancer and nothing else.  I've done them myself, and it ain't pretty.  The doc just scrapes some cells off the cervix, then sends them to the pathologist to look at for cancer.
658875
The Papanicolaou Smear [aka Pap Test, Pap Smear] is performed as part of a routine pelvic exam. The Test is used detect precancerous cells, inflammation, infection and abnormalities of the cervix – including cervical cancer. Approximately 20,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually and account for an estimated 7,600 deaths each year. The Pap Test can detect the earliest signs of this cancer, and is the best way to ensure early intervention and treatment. \n\nThe gynecologist will introduce a speculum into the vagina. A speculum is a small instrument used to open the walls of the vaginal canal, affording visualization of the interior. A sampling of cells is then taken from the cervical canal by scraping the outside of the cervix with a device remarkably resembling a spatula, followed by the insertion of a small brush (the cervix brush or “Papette," which looks not unlike, of all things, a pipe cleaner). Once the cell samples are taken, they are fixed to a slide or placed in a bottle containing preservative and sent off to a lab. \n\nThe entire procedure can range between 10-20 minutes and can be mildly, albeit temporarily, painful. \n\nDo not schedule your Pap during menstruation. The optimum time to undergo the Test is approximately 10-20 days *after* the *first day* of your *last* period. Avoid intercourse, baths, douching and use of vaginal creams, suppositories, foams, medications, deodorant sprays or powders for 24 hours prior to the Test in order to avoid inaccurate results. \n\nIf your results are normal – “negative” – nothing further is needed. If abnormal results are reported – “positive” – further investigation will be performed. In the case of infections, appropriate treatment will be prescribed. In the case of cell changes, a colposcopy may be performed, in which a special microscope is used to examine the cervix very closely. A biopsy will also likely be taken and further tested for abnormalities. \n\nPaps are highly effective, but there is a slight chance of “false positive” or “false negative” results. In such cases, you and your physician will decide on the correct course of further testing and/or treatments.\n\nUnder the updated, new guidelines, women should begin having regular paps after first intercourse or age 21, whichever comes first. \n\nGood luck.
36588
no, it is immoral to watch people suffer and die from cancer and alzheimers, when something can be done about these and other diseases.  Anyone who doesn't think so should spend one day at a nursing home or the cancer ward in a hospital.
541947
It is a rare practice. You run the risk of exposing yourself to exposure to all manner of masty virii, bacteria, etc.
338435
Just because you had a paps smear last month. Doesn't mean that you shouldn't go back to the Dr. It might be a boil forming, or a wart? I would rather be safer than sorry.
873192
If it is for your annual pap smear, they will have you reschedule it anyway. (I know from experience.) Unfortunately I waited to let them know until I was in that little paper gown. If it's for something else you can always call and ask what they suggest before going.
239664
definitely yes...think about ethics
536283
Skill level (how wide-ranging is their practice?; do they just deliver babies and perform pap smears, or do they have experience in other areas of gyn up to and including surgery?)\n\nNumber of years in practice (did it just open last week?)\n\nAcademic background (where did they go to school - respectable med school or was some "other" school in some no name town in some no name country?)\n\nPublications and continued academic interest (do they stay abreast of the gyn trends and updates on disorders, procedures, treatment options, etc. or are they stuck in 1950s medicine?; are they published in the journals, do they present at conferences, are they members of ACOG or other professional organization?)\n\nAre they on the boards or committees of any drug companies?  Research shows over and over that industry sponsored research draws industry positive results - doctors get paid to work with these companies and as such may have skewed judgment in terms of offering one treatment over another based on pro-industry tests, etc.  Kickbacks are ever-present in healthcare, so find out if a drug rep's swag and funding of your doc is going to decide your care, or if the care is based on the best treatment for you.\n\nPatient referrals - this is KEY - you MUST speak to others about the doc, good bad or indifferent feedback can make all the difference...see healthgrades.com or similar site for more on that.\n\nMalpractice background (have they ever been sued, if so what for and what was the outcome?; has the state board censured them in any way, etc.)\n\nBedside manner (do they act like an egomaniacal jerk or are them warm and friendly?)\n\nAfter hours practice (will they be on call and get back to you at 3am on a Sunday morning or will they ignore the call and/or refer it out to a colleague you've never met?)\n\nOffice staff demeanor (are they witches or are they helpful and friendly?)\n\nGeneral appearance of the office itself (is everything nice and clean or is it a dump that should be shut down?)\n\nDo they allow you to be a partner in your care (do they poo-poo every concern and act like you are an over-reacting hypocondriach or do they respect your input to your own health?)\n\nMost of all, do you feel comfortable and confident in them handling your care or do you get bad vibes?\n\nDon't let the male/female thing be a deciding factor...I can understand feeling more comfy with one gender, but base it on skill and everything above, not whether it's a woman or a man.  I've had the worst experiences in my life with women docs who acted like because THEY hadn't experienced something, no woman could.  Not to say there aren't any good female gyns out there, I just haven't found them yet.\n\nGood luck to you and remember THEY work for YOU, not the other way around, and you have choices.  You can leave a practice anytime you want and go elsewhere if it doesn't work out.
910800
Well if you are schedule for a pap smear they will have to look at it.  Remember doctor's see these things all the time.  You might be more comfortable with a female doctor in future.
932432
Hi. I was diagnosed with cervical cancer when I was 25. I do remember the ob-gyn handing me a check-list of questions (about a dozen, i think) regarding behaviour/contributing factors that may be linked to the development of this type of cancer. Certainly 'multiple sexual partners' was on this list, but i don't recall a question about my partners sexual habits. I was told that multiple partners could increase the risk of being exposed to the pap virus, which is certainly a factor in developing this type of cancer. I'm not aware of any other viruses linked to cervical cancer. Perhaps you could ask your ob-gyn specifically why he asked and what he may be looking for? If your ob-gyn has a theory, you have a right to be kept informed. By the way, mine was 22 years ago.
153130
neither are considered ethical. As long as you are preventing a birth from happening weither it is through a tubal legation, abortion, and any from of birth control it is not ethical.