If you feel pretty damn proud of yourself for scheduling a Pap smear or pelvic exam, we don’t blame you. This kind of preventive care is incredibly important but also easy to put off or cut from your ...

You may only need a Pap test once every three years, but that doesn't mean you should neglect your OB/GYN during the time in-between, either. There are a lot of health benefits to visiting your doctor ...

An annual well-woman visit with your gynecologist allows you to discuss your health status, sexual practices, contraception needs, and get a breast exam, among other things— so it’s still important ...

Pap smears used to be a no-brainer: You’d see your ob/gyn for your yearly wellness check and would get an annual Pap in the process. But recommendations changed in the last few years and now it’s not ...

Do you feel anxious when you have to see a gynecologist? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. More than half of the women included in a 2009 study published in the journal Midwifery felt anxious or ...

It’s the latest battle over screening: Should healthy women skip annual pelvic exams? A controversial recommendation last year by the American College of Physicians, which represents the nation’s ...

During a Pap smear the most uncomfortable part will be when the doctor inserts a speculum into your vagina. However, the pain should be minimal and brief. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images A Pap smear is a ...

Do you have any unusual pain or discomfort? What medical problems do other members of your family have? These are just some of the questions young women may be asked at their annual wellness exam.

It’s on the calendar. It’s coming soon. Your first gynecological exam. For some young women, this may be particularly anxiety-inducing. Women's health expert Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones walks you through ...

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Gynecology, which often overlaps with ...

Legs harnessed in an airborne straddle. Feeble pleas from your ob-gyn to scooch up. Cold, clunky metal speculum pushed into your vagina, followed by clanging and scraping. Pap smears are, at worst, a ...