To the girls reading this, what are your thoughts on visits to gynaecologists? How many times did you visit your gynaecologist as a teenager after you had your periods?

While you think about that, let me tell you I never did. It was only after I got married and wanted to know more about birth control that I paid a visit to a gynaecologist. To add to the apprehensions of it being the first visit, I was also awkward, somewhat ashamed as I sat there in front of a woman who was as old as my mom talking about safe sex and how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Being in my 20s at that point, it really shouldn’t have been my first visit. Also, I shouldn’t have been uncomfortable. But I was. And I think this is not just my experience but a lot of my female friends have had similar experiences. The question is why?

I was reading about a survey done in May 2018 where it was reported that about 24 % of women in India admitted to having never visited a gynaecologist. Truth be told, I think that number will be even greater. And that just goes to show how casual we are or so unaware about something as important as a woman’s health.

But seriously why don’t we visit gynaecologists? I know in many rural areas there are no gynaecologists to visit, not to mention the lack of awareness or education. But what about the women in towns and cities and in educated families?

Visits to gynaecologists. Why not the norm?

I think a lot of it has to do with the hesitation that comes along with talking about all things tagged as women’s problems. Somewhere there is this inadvertent shame associated with being a woman in our country especially when it comes to our physiology. Not only that but there is also this strange need to be secretive about it. From periods to menstrual cramps, from pads to menstrual cups, from talking about safe sex to birth control, there is complete silence on these topics as a girl grows up. The pads are to be hidden as though we belong to some secret society dealing with something no one is aware of. But leave that aside too for a moment, the basic things that a girl needs to be aware of as she slowly transitions to a woman, as her body changes, is never imparted the way it should. I remember the awkward conversation on birth control with my aunt just a day before my wedding. And this happens everywhere in our country.

A gynaecologist is a doctor. If we are not ashamed of visiting a physician, a cardiologist or a neurologist then why this shame in talking to a gynaecologist?

 

Of course, girls these days have google and even youtube from an early age to find out more about the workings of their bodies. But don’t you think it would be infinitely better if this is done through conversations with medical practitioners? I definitely think so. Hence, one of the things that I plan to do for my daughter as she grows up and reaches that stage is to take her to a gynaecologist. It’s so important that she has the right knowledge about her body. She’s sure to have questions and all her questions need to be answered and who better than a gynaecologist to do that.

There is also another aspect to it and that is the gynaecologists must be open to such visits. It’s something very personal at the same time intimate for a girl to talk about her private parts and their workings. Hence, the environment at the gynaecologists must be welcoming to such questions, to allay any fears. It’s important so that topics such as menstruation, safe sex and birth control can be talked about without feeling judged. I remember the first gynaecologist that I visited to be very unwelcoming. She wasn’t very forthcoming with explaining things to me which made me hesitate further. I think they more than anyone else must know that these are topics that need to be discussed without feeling judged. Gynaecologists, especially in India, must stop seeing sex from a moral standpoint and just do their jobs as doctors first.

I wish I knew more things about my body as I was growing up. I really do. When I got my first periods, I remember I would use a cloth as a backing to my pad which made me really uncomfortable. But I didn’t know whom to ask. My mom seemed to be comfortable with that and even she wasn’t aware of what else could work. When I moved away from home, that was the first time I did away with the cloth backing. So, you could see it was more of a trial and error for me. Perhaps, if I had talked with a gynaecologist, I would have learnt more. So, I’m going to make sure, that these trials are reduced when it comes to my daughter. In fact, one of the reasons why I’m planning to make the switch to a menstrual cup in consultation with my gynaecologist is so that I’m in tune with the times when it’s time for my daughter to make that transition

Gynaecologists, especially in India, must stop seeing sex from a moral standpoint and just do their jobs as doctors first. #WomensHealth Share on X

So, to all the mothers out there, make sure your daughters have access to gynaecologists. Maybe even make sure you consult gynaecologists to answer your daughters’ questions by yourself. And to all the women like me who grew up in a time when perhaps taking a teenage daughter to a gynaecologist wasn’t a norm or even a known thing, let’s get our doubts clarified by professionals now without any hesitation.

Thoughts?

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