Every woman may have heard this at least once during their teens: When to meet the gynecologist for the first time? Girls at the age of 13 to 15 have a chance to take their first visit to know about puberty health. However, women after the age of 22 are super excited to meet and hear happy news about getting pregnant.
There are various reasons for women to meet gynecologists, so you can get perfect clarity on when and why you should meet your gynecologist from this blog.
Why and which age group of people meet with a gynecologist?
The females at the age of 13 will begin to meet the gynaecologist and this goes after the age of 60.
Female age group | Reason to meet the gynecologist |
13 to 19 | Girls at this age visit a gynecologist for issues with irregular menstruation, heavy bleeding, and hormone changes that cause acne. |
Early 20’s | This age group of females should consult gynecologists when they need advice on their sexual health, birth outcomes, and to stay healthy. |
20 to 30 | This group of females should have a regular checkup if they plan for pregnancy, take precautions for cervical cancer, and manage proper menstrual health. |
40 to 50 | This group of females, also called perimenopausal women, should meet their gynecologist for a healthy lifestyle, avoid cardiovascular problems, and when they find any changes in vaginal health. |
60 and above | This group of females, called postmenopausal women, should meet a gynecologist to monitor their health and manage their pelvic health after their menstrual stage has ended. |
Reasons to meet a gynecologist
Women may come across many reasons related to their reproductive health, some crucial reasons when you must visit the gynecologist immediately are listed below.
Problems faced with the menstrual cycle.
Women, after attaining puberty, will face different issues regarding their menstrual health. This will happen due to the hormonal changes in their body and problems related to PCOS.Â
Eating unhealthy and junk foods will also be the reason for your improper menstrual period. Issues faced related to menstrual periods are,
- Irregular periods
- Heavy flow in bleeding
- Severe pain during the menstrual time
Sexual Activity
It is important to meet your gynecologist while facing sexual-related issues so that you can get treatment at the initial stage, which does not affect your pregnancy period.
 Discomfort and pain: When you feel very discomfort and have severe pain during intercourse, unexplained pelvic pain that is related to your sexual activity.Â
Vaginal infections: If you face any irritation, itching, or swelling in the genital area, you should meet the gynecologist for proper treatments.
Unusual symptoms: If you have any abnormal vaginal discharge and heavy bleeding at or after the time of intercourse, you should consult your doctor to get proper guidance.
Also, when you face any STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) like sores, warts, and unusual vaginal discharge, ensure you immediately visit a gynecologist.
Family history
At the time of your meeting with a gynecologist, your doctor will collect the information regarding your family history to negate any chances of having a genetic disorder.Â
This will also help you to identify any risks like ovarian-related problems and breast cancer. So you need to clarify every doubt that strikes your mind at the time of the meeting.
Pelvic related issues
When you face any pelvic pains that may or may not be related to sexual activity, sometimes you may have pain due to menstrual cramping, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, urinary infections, and fibroids.
Problems related to fertility
Women with infertility problems should visit a gynecologist to get treatment in the early stages. It minimizes the chances of undergoing IUI or IVF treatments. You need to get clear clarity about your fertility issues so that it does not affect your pregnancy in the future.Â
Some serious fertility issues that you must be conscious of,
- Irregular ovulation
- PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)
- Block or damage in the fallopian tube
- Abnormal in uterus
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
These are the critical issues that would affect your natural fertility process.
What to expect during the first visit
During the first visit with your gynecologist, you can have an open talk with them about health and plans regarding your body. Your doctor will question you regarding your physical health and family history.Â
This helps your doctor to analyse the issues easily. Sometimes you need to have an open talk with your doctor about your physical health and sexual health activities.Â
Here are several steps included at the time of the first visit,
Initial paperwork: At the time of your first visit you will be asked to fill out the form given by your doctor to analyse to current status. Then the nurse will do basic checkups like weight, BP and blood pressure level.
Doctor consultation: The doctor will ask you about your health condition, sexual life or any other symptoms that you are currently facing.Â
Physical assessment: After completing your basic checkups your doctor will take a breast examination to find any problems or abnormalities.
Pelvic assessment: The doctor will ask you about the pelvic pain that you get during your sexual activity (if any).Â
Follow-up: After the checkups, the doctor will decide to start your treatment according to your health conditions, and you should follow up regularly to get better results.
You can also ask some questions which you should get clear from the gynecologist during your first visit.
Conclusion
Meeting your gynecologist is not an issue; feel free to meet them. You should have an open talk with them and explain all the problems that you faced. Ensure you follow up with them to get proper guidance and for a healthy lifestyle.Â
You can also visit the gynecologist if you are planning to get pregnant. They can give you proper guidance on what to do and what not to do.
FAQs
What are the issues faced by females at the ages of 13 to 19?
Females aged 13 to 19 will be facing problems with
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Hormone changes
- Acne problems
Do I need a pelvic examination at the time of the first visit?
No, it is not compulsory to take the test at the time of your first appointment. Suppose your doctor recommends it after analyzing your health conditions, and you can do the test.
