Many Pelvic Exams Are Medically Unjustified - hcp.obgyn.net

Many Pelvic Exams Are Medically Unjustified - hcp.obgyn.net

The updated guidelines for preventive care by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the US Preventive Services Task Force, and the American Cancer Society state that annual Pap tests are not needed for most women. ACOG also has recommended that the bimanual examination should not be part of a routine well-woman examination until age 21.² Despite these recommendations, about 87% of the physicians surveyed said they would perform this examination on 18-year-old healthy women. Physicians also said they perform the examination to reassure patients, to meet patient expectations, and to ensure “adequate compensation for routine gynecological care.”1,