How is a pelvic exam done?
• During a pelvic exam, you will: • Take off your clothes below the waist. You will have a paper or cloth cover around your waist for privacy during the test. • Lie on your back on an exam table with your feet raised and supported by stirrups. • The doctor will: • Ask you to relax your knees so that they lean out, toward the walls. • Check the opening of your vagina for sores or swelling. • Gently insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina. It opens the vagina a little bit. You will feel some pressure, but if you are relaxed, it does not hurt and will allow the doctor to see the inside of the vagina. • Use a small brush, swab, or a wooden spatula to gently collect a sample of cells, if you are having a Pap test or a culture. The doctor then removes the speculum. • Insert one or two gloved fingers of one hand into your vagina while placing the other hand on your lower belly. By doing this, the doctor can feel your pelvic organs. You will probably feel pressure. Try not to t
