If you have daughters, you may wonder when the right time is to take them to see the gynecologist for the first time. Gynecologists specialize in the health of women and their reproductive parts, and seeing a gynecologist is something a girl must get used to. To determine when the right time is for your daughter, you can call a gynecologist and ask, or you could use these factors to determine when to go.
The average age a girl should visit a gynecologist
Most doctors recommend taking girls to gynecologists for the first time when they are between the ages of 13 to 15. By this age, most girls have started their periods, and many girls in this age category have had some form of sexual activity.
By taking your daughter at this age, she can become acquainted with the doctor, and she will be able to learn more about her health and safety.
Reasons a girl should go sooner
If your daughter is healthy and is not having any female issues, taking her by the age of 15 is typically sufficient. If your daughter is having issues, such as painful menstrual cycles, taking her sooner is usually a good idea. A gynecologist might be able to determine why this is happening and may be able to treat her for this.
Taking your daughter sooner is also something to consider if she is sexually active. Sexual activity can lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy. While you may not want your daughter to be involved sexually, it is not something to ignore.
A gynecologist may be able to help your daughter understand how to protect herself from pregnancy and STDs more than you could.
What gynecologists do at appointments with teen girls
When the time comes for you to take your daughter to the gynecologist, you may be wondering what will take place at the appointment. Gynecologists usually do not perform pap smears until girls are the age of 21; however, they will perform them sooner with girls that are sexually active.
If your daughter is not sexually active when she goes to the gynecologist, the doctor will most likely:
Going to the gynecologist for the first time can be scary, but it is important. To learn more about this, contact a gynecologist in your area today, like Naples OBGYN.
Share3 January 2016
Having a daughter comes with a number of challenges. One challenge that you will one day need to tackle is determining when to introduce your daughter to the gynecologist. Do you take your daughter to the same gynecologist that you see or take her somewhere else? Do you wait until she gets her first period or do you take her in to learn about the menstrual cycle from the doctor? There is a long list of questions you likely have about introducing your daughter to the world of gynecology. Having gone through this twice myself, I have learned quite a bit and have included a lot of helpful information in my site to help other parents get through this complicated time a little easier.
