Not so bad after all..., Women's experiences of pelvic examinations

We aimed to explore women's experiences of pelvic examinations.

A qualitative study was carried out with in-depth interviews based on Kvale's principles, analysis using Giorgi's phenomenological approach, and a feminist frame of reference. Purposeful sampling included 13 women of various ages and backgrounds interviewed after a pelvic examination. The main outcome measures were descriptions and concepts reflecting the most important matters experienced by the women.

Women are nervous before a pelvic examination, but regard it as a necessary procedure to rule out gynaecological disease. Advance expectations were worse than the actual experience. The women identified several matters as essential for their ability to feel in control during the procedure, such as the doctor's gender, informed communication, positioning during examination, integrity during nakedness, and trust in the doctor. The importance of the different issues varied between women.

Pelvic examination is a procedure which reveals ambivalence in the women due to its intimate relationship between sex, power, and medical knowledge. The doctor can contribute to empowerment of the women by acknowledging the specific context of the procedure, listening to the voice of the individual patient and respecting the inherent ambivalence of the situation.