Smear Test - Doctor's Gender Preference

Howdylimk

Hi all, just wondering what is your preference when having a smear, male or female doctor. Reason I'm asking is I have always had a female gp do my smears but my last one was very uncomfortable and has put me off going again, but now I'm overdue. I was never too keen on getting them done but always did for my own health sake. The last smear was with a young lady gp who had difficulty finding my cervix. She routed and routed, then tried a second speculum which she snapped in two while trying to locate my cervix. The third speculum was inserted and eventually she found it. I found the whole thing very upsetting and uncomfortable.


So this time I'm contemplating going to a male gp. I'm thinking he might have a gentler approach as I find some male doctors can be more sensitive than female when examining ladies. Has anyone here had a smear with a male doctor? If so how did it compare to a female doctor? TIA

honey79

I've always had the one person which is a nurse in the doctor surgery she is very gentle with it but I think its a bit like taking blood the ones that do it more often are more experienced and gentle

Maybe go to doc or clinic that specializes in this area

jaja321

Go to a well woman clinic or similar - they are amazing in there.

eviltwin

Nothing to do with gender. It's down to the individual manner of the person and how experienced he or she is.

IvyTheTerrible

I've had good experiences and not so good experiences (I won't say bad, because they weren't, really) with gynaecologists and midwives of both genders and all age groups.

It really does just depend on the person, in my experience.

pwurple

Previous GP was male, no problem... he retired. Current GP is female, also no problem. Quick and simple.

It's the experience of that particular person, not their gender.

Only time I've ever come across someone who had difficulty with finding their way around was a student midwife, during labour. She had someone else there to show her, and then the shift changed, and another student came along who needed to be shown. They have to learn somehow, but I was a bit... "how many more bloomin' people are going to do this!" at the time.

Tabitharose

I'd second the Well Woman Ctr, I go there rather than my GP

rainbow kirby

Competence > gender.

kylith

Worst smear I ever had was from a woman in the WWC. These days I go to the nurse at my local GP. She's very friendly and understanding and I'm in and out in no time.

Howdylimk

Hey ladies, thanks for the replies. I fully understand and appreciate that competence definitely outweighs gender, as it does in all professions. As I said in the first post I've only ever had smears breast exams etc done by female doctors, but once I did have a breast exam by a male doctor and found he did the exam with more care and sensitivity than the ladies ever did, he kept asking if I was ok and if at any stage I was feeling uncomfortable or it hurt to let him know. Looking back on this I am thinking if the same level of care and sensitivity was taken during a smear then it would have to be a better experience, not that I am saying lady doctors aren't capable of being sensitive.

Thing is I have no problem having a breast exam by a male but don'y know how I'd feel about having a smear taken by a male, especially my own GP. I've never had kids etc nor have never been examined intimately by a male doc, stupid I know as doctors don't care if it's your vagina or eyeball they are examining, it's all procedure to them. But on the back of how much my last smear by a lady hurt, I am reckoning apart from the fact I might be a bit reluctant to go due to embarrassment, a male GP can't do any worse than a female.

Snoopy1

I go to family planning, they are very quick. I take a different speculum and its never uncomfortable.

Male doctors did all my lletz though, so don't really care, as long as its quick

Dolbert

My roughest internal exam at the maternity hospital was by a tiny female doctor, the gentlest was a 6 foot bloke! It really depends on the individual.

TheBeardedLady

I had my smear yesterday along with an ultra sound of my boobs and bits yesterday and it was the first time ever that a male doctor carried it out. Tbh, my face obviously dropped when I walked in (it wasn't at my normal GP - private clinic) but it was actually grand - I just switched off and let him get on with it. Apparently they're all mostly men here in Spain according to some Spanish women I spoke to today. I still think if I could choose I'd opt for a woman as I was a little more uncomfortable than I'd normally be. Interesting experience though.

Neyite

Dolbert wrote: »

My roughest internal exam at the maternity hospital was by a tiny female doctor, the gentlest was a 6 foot bloke! It really depends on the individual.

Me too. My tiny midwife's internal exam hurt. Then along comes a huge male doctor with hands the size of shovels and was really dreading it, and he was lovely and gentle.

I had a HSG x-ray recently which is supposed to be done by a female, but it was a male doing the procedure. A bit daunting, but probably moreso because he was very easy on the eye.

lazeedaisy

My GP always refers me to the other GP in the practice who is his sister for my smears. He says it's easier as he has to have a nurse present otherwise,

Fingers crossed I've never had too bad a one,

Sorry to hear about your experience though, as a bad experience could turn women off getting regular smears, as we know they can save lives.

Wellyd

Sorry to bump this up and mods if it's in the wrong place mods feel free to move. I'm well overdue my first smear test and I really need to go get it done. So obviously I'm dreading it and have no idea what goes on! You all mention your gp doing the smear test where I was always led to believe a nurse did it. I really am not very fond of my own gp so I really don't think I'd be comfortable at all with him doing it. There is another gp at my surgery but I've never encountered him. I really don't know what to do. I know I need to just man up and get it done but I've such fear about it all

seventeen sheep

Wellyd wrote: »

Sorry to bump this up and mods if it's in the wrong place mods feel free to move. I'm well overdue my first smear test and I really need to go get it done. So obviously I'm dreading it and have no idea what goes on! You all mention your gp doing the smear test where I was always led to believe a nurse did it. I really am not very fond of my own gp so I really don't think I'd be comfortable at all with him doing it. There is another gp at my surgery but I've never encountered him. I really don't know what to do. I know I need to just man up and get it done but I've such fear about it all

Why not just go to some other random GP who you'll never have to encounter again, if you feel that uncomfortable? Or a WellWoman clinic?

There is no rule that you have to go to your own GP for the smear, as far as I know.

Snoopy1

I don't know why the big fuss, and why you've been avoiding it for so long. 30 seconds of discomfort for something that could save your life??
I don't go to my own GP, I go the family planning clinic. There's also Well woman clinics.

Frigga_92

My GP is female but I have always had male GPs in the past and had my first smear when I was 18. My smears have only ever been done by doctors. Once there was a doctor teaching a nurse so it took longer than usual, that was weird having them both down there chatting but you just have to relax.
I have had a lot of doctors for various medical reasons over the years, the majority male so I've just become indifferent to their gender. As long as they can do their job properly I'm happy.
I can understand embarrassment but male doctors are looking at you from a medical point of view, nothing more.

TheBeardedLady

Wellyd wrote: »

Sorry to bump this up and mods if it's in the wrong place mods feel free to move. I'm well overdue my first smear test and I really need to go get it done. So obviously I'm dreading it and have no idea what goes on! You all mention your gp doing the smear test where I was always led to believe a nurse did it. I really am not very fond of my own gp so I really don't think I'd be comfortable at all with him doing it. There is another gp at my surgery but I've never encountered him. I really don't know what to do. I know I need to just man up and get it done but I've such fear about it all

It's over within seconds. Sounds much worse than it is. It's one of these things you simply have to do as it could save your life. Not to scare you but abnormalities that have to be kept an eye on are not uncommon. Well Woman clinic as other have mentioned - I had very positive experiences with them whenever I went.

mahamageehad

Mine was done by the female doctor at my practise but I was led to believe that it was unusual (for that practise) and that usually the nurse does it. I don't think I'd have minded either way. I was dreading it as it was my first but it really was so quick and painless.

Wellyd

Bit the bullet and went today for my first smear test. A lovely nurse done it. She had me so relaxed. She kept chatting away to me and it was over and done with in no time. It was a little but uncomfortable but nowhere near as bad as I'd imagined. I really don't know why I was so worked up about it. I feel so much better after having it done.