Warning

Nude scene

This document is not meant for young children.

For young adolescent girls, SantéBD recommends using this document with a parent, teacher or health professional.

I have a gynecology appointment.

I can go to my doctor, a gynecologist or midwife.

I can choose a man or a woman.

The exam is not always easy

because I may need to show my genitals or my chest, or both.

The doctor or midwife asks if I am ok with this.

I need to get these parts of my body checked.

It’s good to do so once a year.

So that I can talk about my period.

So that I can talk about pain during my period.

So that I can talk about non-period bleeding.

So that I can talk about any pain in my vaginal region.

• Infections.
• Itchiness.

Because I felt a growth in my breast.

To check that I don’t have a disease.

• Breast exam : to make sure I don’t have a growth
• Vaginal examination : to make sure I don’t have an infection

To monitor a pregnancy.

To talk about difficulties related to my sex life.

To talk about contraception methods.

To avoid getting an STD (sexually-transmitted disease) during sex, like AIDS.

There are other diseases like chlamydia.

To avoid getting pregnant

Contraception methods

• Birth control pill
• Condoms
• IUD
• Implant

There are many different types of contraception.

I can talk about it with my doctor.

See the booklet on « Contraception methods ».

EMERGENCY : if I had sex without contraception.

I can ask for the morning-after pill.

See the document on « Contraception methods » : emergency contraception.

It is a small pill that I swallow with water.

I can ask for the morning-after IUD.

See the document on « Contraception methods » : emergency contraception.

What happens during the appointment ?

The doctor or midwife greets me.

The doctor or midwife asks me questions.

To find out if I have any pain.

If I have any embarrassing discharge.

If I have bleeding.

If I have a burning sensation.

Before starting the doctor or midwife weighs me.

I go into the examination room.

There are :

• the ultrasound machine
• the examination chair
• the stool

The doctor or midwife asks me to take off my clothes.

I may have to take off my bra and underwear.

If I am uncomfortable being naked, I can ask to :

• keep my t-shirt on
• cover myself with a smock
• or cover myself with a sheet on the examination chair.

Before starting, she takes my blood pressure.

The doctor or midwife examines my breasts.

She is looking for a growth.

She presses down on my breath with both hands.

She feels around my armpit.

She can examine for nipple discharge.

She pinches my nipple between her fingers.

She looks to see if there is any discharge.

The doctor or midwife teaches me how to give myself a breast exam.

I must do it often as the age of 25.

See the booklet on « Breast Self-Exams ».

The doctor or midwife examines my vagina.

I lie down on my back and put my legs on the stirrups.

My legs are spread apart and the doctor is facing me.

The doctor or midwife is going to examine my vagina closely.

The doctor or midwife puts on gloves before starting the exam.

She looks at the skin around my vagina.

The doctor or midwife is going to perform a vaginal examination.

She puts a finger in my vagina.

Her other hand pushes down on my stomach.

If there is a machine, the doctor or midwife can perform :

• A stomach ultrasound. She passes a wand over my stomach. She sees the inside of my stomach on the screen with the wand.
• A vaginal ultrasound. She puts the wand in my vagina. She sees the inside of my vagina on the screen with the wand.

The doctor or midwife proposes a pap smear.

Pap smears are performed once a woman is 25 years old.

She uses a speculum.

It is a tool that spreads apart the vagina.

She puts the speculum in my vagina.

She gently spreads apart my vagina.

She gently takes cells from the inside of my vagina.

She uses a small wand.

It is a little uncomfortable but it does not hurt.

A lab is going to analyze my cells.

This test looks for any diseases.

The result of this exam are sent to me in the mail.

After this exam, I may bleed a little.

I put on protection before coming to the appointment.

After the exam, the doctor or midwife :

Explains everything to me.

She can ask that I :

• Get my blood drawn.
• get a mammogram once I turn 25. See the booklet on « I am going to get a mammogram. »
• get other exams : breast ultrasound, MRI or biopsy. She will give me a detailled prescription.

Everything that I say remains secret between us.

I can say anything.

This document was validated by the National Syndicate for OB-GYNs in France.

 

SantéBD Multilingual is a project supported by the Orange Foundation.

 

SantéBD booklets?

• On the internet: Visit the website: www.santebd.org
• On the SantéBD Channel Youtube

SantéBD booklets are free.

SantéBD is a project by the NGO Coactis Santé contact@santebd.org
SantéBD booklets are produced in partnership with different participants from the world of healthcare and working with disabilities. Illustrations by Frédérique Mercier.
Copyright Coactis Santé

 

The creation of this tool was made possible with the support of:

• la Fondation Handicap Malakoff Humanis
• la Fondation de France
• la mairie de Paris
• l’Assurance maladie
• la Caisse nationale de solidarité pour l’autonomie
• Santé publique France

This document was proofread by people with learning disabilities and respects the European Easy-to-Read Guidelines. These guidelines help to make information available for everyone.

For more information visit the website https://www.inclusion-europe.eu/easy-to-read/