Is a rectal exam normal for a yearly GYN visit?

Question

My new wife just had her yearly GYN exam, she said she hates the rectal exam more than the pelvic exam. My first wife, of 6 years, never mentioned a rectal exam, which doctor is doing the exam correctly? What would a doctor be looking for with a woman? With a man he is having his prostate checked.

Answer 1

Different GYNs do different things. Most of them do perform a rectal exam on women who have had at least one child or who are over a certain age. They are looking for what's called a rectocele. This is where the vagina pushes back into the rectum and can cause problems. When women have babies, their mucles all get real loose and this is what causes the vagina to be able to push through into the rectum. Not all doctors check for this routinely because they figure once the woman has symptoms then they'll do something, but a woman could have this and never have problem until it's real bad a more difficult to fix. So, yes, a rectal exam as part of the routine GYN exam is okay and actually a good practice by the doctor.

As a side note, the doctor isn't going to check the rectum and them use the same gloves for the rest of the pelvic exam, as one of the above comments suggests. Usually they do the rectal exam last and take the gloves off. If they start with the rectal exam then they will change at least one gloved hand.

Answer 2

I never even heard of rectal exams in this context. Well-woman exams, either with or without a rectal exam for asymptomatic women are NOT recommended in the UK, neither in most part of the developed world. I never had one, and hope to never have one, and I am 32 by the way. I lived in the USA briefly, and I am abhorred by the blatant sexual abuse that goes in that country, thinly disguised as medical care. ACOG, the american college of obstetrics and gynaecologists recommends pelvic exams based on "expert opinion": ACOG recommends yearly full pelvic examinations for patients aged 21 years and older, but notes that the advice is based on "expert opinion, and limitations of the internal pelvic examination should be recognized." For example, the bimanual examination is useful for evaluating the uterus, but has a low sensitivity for detecting "adnexal masses," which include ovarian cysts and ectopic pregnancies.

"Although annual pelvic exams for women older than 21 years seem "logical," the opinion notes that "[n]o evidence supports or refutes the annual pelvic examination or speculum and bimanual examination for the asymptomatic, low-risk patient." In addition, no data exist on when and how often to perform the exam. Ultimately, the decision whether or not to perform a complete pelvic examination "should be a shared decision after a discussion between the patient and her health care provider."

Even ACOG says the practice of pelvic exams on asymptomatic women is NOT evidence based. They are about money making, and a power trip for perverted doctors.
Also, these exams have absolutely nothing, nothing at all to do with the pill, the only medical requirements are a blood pressure check and family history.
Pap smears are again controversial, the cancer is rare, has always been in the developed world, and the test was implemented on a population base without clinical trials. There is a high rate of false positives and false negatives. http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/11/informed-consent-missing-pap-smears-cervical-cancer-screening.html

Answer 3

First of all it's a Pelvic Exam and I don't understand this for any reason. Nor has this ever been done to me and never will be. I think she needs to look into finding a doctor that knows that women don't have a prostate. Men are checked for Prostate Cancer prevention, it's the same for us but with our reproductive organs. I would definately have this looked into further because this doesn't make one bit of sense.

Answer 4

Yes, a rectal exam should be standard but most often times the doctor will not perform one. Always ask for one during the exam if it's not offered.

Answer 5

It is a normal part of the exam. Maybe your first wife was too embarrassed to mention that part. The doctor is feeling the uterine wall through the rectal wall for growths or abnormalities.

Answer 6

It depends on the woman's age. After the age of 50, doctors recommend rental exams to look for polyps. The gynecologist will often do it as part of the general pelvic exam.

Answer 7

i had that one time and it made me feel uncomfortable ,out of all of my years getting gyn exams, i have never had a rectal exam, i feel i was being taken advantage of, how could they spread bacteria by entering the vag and with that same glove enter the rect, that is not right. That doctor should be reported!!! I wish i would have .

Answer 8

From what I've been told by older friends, they start doing the rectal exam when you're in your forties or so. I've never had one, but I'm still in my thirties. I suppose that's something I have to look forward to.

Answer 9

It is often a routine part of a gynecological exam. Not all doctors perform this, and it depends on the position of the uterus and ovaries, the patient's size and other factors (they felt a mass). It is very possible that your first wife may or may not have experienced this, but I can assure you that your new wife is not alone, and not being fondled.

Answer 10

If your wife is getting a rectal exam, good for her! It is a great way to check for colon cancer, you should be doing it to. Everyone should get rectal exams yearly to check for colon cancer.