Chapter 20: The pelvic exam
The pelvic exam
Before you start:
• Make sure that you have privacy.
• Prepare all the tools you will need for the exam:
clean or sterile
speculum
clean or sterile
plastic gloves
light
mirror
clean cloths for
wiping after the exam
The speculum and gloves should be sterile if you are doing a pelvic exam to
insert an IUD or to do an MVA. Otherwise, a very clean speculum is OK.
• Ask the woman to urinate before the exam. This
will make the exam more comfortable for her.
• Ask the woman to remove her pants or pull up
her skirt. If she wants something to cover her
legs, give her a sheet or cloth.
• Ask her to lie on her back with her knees up and
her buttocks at the end of the table or bed.
• Wash your hands with clean
water and soap. Your fingernails
should be short and clean.
• Put clean plastic gloves on your hands.
The visual exam
The skin on the genitals should be
smooth and healthy. The genitals
should be clean, but some clear or white
discharge from the opening of the
vagina is normal.
opening
of vagina
anus
clitoris
urethra
lips
Look for lumps, swelling,
unusual discharge, sores, or scars on
her genitals. Sometimes you can feel
lumps with your fingers that you
cannot see. Lumps or sores could be
signs of infection or injury. (See
Chapter 18 to learn more about
infections of the genitals.)
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healthy genitals
Sores on the
genitals can
be a sign of
infection.