Is It Time For Your Daughters First Gynecological Exam? 4 Ways To Help Her Prepare For Her Visit

Going to the gynecologist for the first time can be a frightening and embarrassing experience, especially for a teenage girl. Most doctors recommend that girls have their first gynecological exam between the ages of 13-15 years of age.

While it's important that young women have a gynecological exam, it's also important that they feel comfortable when they go. Before you take your daughter to the gynecologist for the first time, here are a few things you can do to help make the experience less uncomfortable.

Talk To Her

You might not feel comfortable talking to your daughter about the gynecologist, but it's important that you sit down and discuss her feelings with her. This is a good way to find out what's bothering her. It's also a good way to find out if she has any preconceived ideas about the visit. Teenage girls like to talk to their friends. Unfortunately, they don't always get correct information from their friends. Open up the lines of communication, and talk to your daughter about the gynecologist.

Start Reading With Her

The library is one of the best places you can go for information. Take your daughter to the library, and check out a few books about gynecological exams. You can also get educational materials from the doctor's office. Pick up a few brochures for your daughter so that she can read up on the tests that will be conducted during her first visit.

Schedule Two Separate Appointments, If Possible

If your daughter has never met the gynecologist before, try to arrange an opportunity for her to meet the doctor prior to the exam. This is a good way for your daughter to become familiar with the doctor. If your doctor doesn't feel comfortable with the gynecologist you've chosen, help her choose one that she's comfortable with. In order for your daughter to receive the care she'll need, it's important that she's happy with the gynecologist she's going to be seeing.

Go With Her

Don't just sit in the waiting room and send your daughter back by herself, unless she wants you to. Doctor's offices can be intimidating places, especially if your daughter has never been there before. It's okay to go back with her. When she's ready to send you back to the waiting room, you can head back out and wait. Letting her decide when it's time for you to leave will allow her to know that she's empowered to make her own decisions about her gynecological exam.

Now that it's time for your daughter to see the gynecologist, be sure she's prepared for the experience. Following these simple steps can help ensure that your daughter is ready for her first gynecological exam. (For more information on gynelogical exams, contact a practice such as Naples OBGYN)