Vaginal examination
Vaginal examination (also known as a pelvic examination) is a physical examination of the female reproductive system. It is a common procedure in gynecology and is often performed to assess the health of the vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries.
Procedure[edit | edit source]
The vaginal examination typically involves three parts: the external examination, the speculum examination, and the bimanual examination.
External Examination[edit | edit source]
The external examination involves a visual and physical examination of the vulva. The healthcare provider looks for signs of infection, irritation, or abnormal growths.
Speculum Examination[edit | edit source]
The speculum examination involves the insertion of a speculum into the vagina. This allows the healthcare provider to visually examine the vagina and cervix. During this part of the examination, a Pap smear may be performed to screen for cervical cancer.
Bimanual Examination[edit | edit source]
The bimanual examination involves the healthcare provider inserting two fingers into the vagina while pressing on the abdomen with the other hand. This allows the healthcare provider to physically examine the uterus and ovaries.
Indications[edit | edit source]
Vaginal examinations are performed for a variety of reasons, including routine health screenings, pregnancy check-ups, and investigation of symptoms such as pelvic pain or abnormal bleeding.
Risks and Considerations[edit | edit source]
While generally considered safe, vaginal examinations can cause discomfort or embarrassment for some patients. There is also a small risk of infection. Informed consent should always be obtained before the procedure.
See Also[edit | edit source]
Translate: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD