Secrets Every Woman Must Tell A Gynaecologist Experts

By The Rainbow

Apart from the fact that a woman's body is complex in nature, the average woman has a lot of secrets she may not be comfortable revealing to her friends, but to live healthy and happy, she must not keep these secrets from her gynaecologist, says a health expert.

When it comes to taking care of the female sexual and reproductive health, for example, the gynaecologist should be able to know how many sexual partners the woman has or had before marriage.

Alyssa Dweck, a gynaecolist and coauthor of V is For Vagina, says such disclosure is very important from a medical standpoint as, according to her, 'the more information that's disclosed that seems to be relevant, the more individualised care that can be given.'

Another secret that a woman should not hide from her gynaecologist is if she has had unprotected sex even if it was just once. This is because apart from contracting deady diseases like HIV, there are other dangerous, sexually transmitted diseases which symptoms may be hidden for long.

Some of these diseases like Chlamydia, are often completely symptomless, while others like Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) which causes cervical and other forms of cancer can lay dormant for years, according to Dweck.

A gynaecologist should be the right person to know about a woman's inability to orgasm during sex, apart from a sex therapist.

'If you're having orgasm issues, that's something we can usually help withIt may require a referral, or it may be a signal of another type of health problem going on,' Dweck says.

Experiencing bleeding after sex should be a major concern to a woman as it could be a sign of infection, dryness or a cervical problem, according to Dweck, who says that such signs should not be taken for granted if it happens more than once.

Also, a woman who experiences pains during sex should not shy away from complaining to a gynaecologist asĀ  Professor Mary Jane Minkin, clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine, says it could be due to problems with the woman's uterus, a side effect of birth control or a result of vaginal dryness and is not age-related.

A woman should not hesitate to tell a gynaecologist when she experiences foul smell because it is usually a sign of infection or pH imbalance which is treatable.

Dweck says it could also be the result of a tampon left inside the woman (a tampon is an absorbent inserted in the female private part to collect menses).

Abnormal changes in the odour of the menstrual flow, or much heavier or lighter flow than normal should pose some health concerns including hormonal imbalances, a cyst, or an infection, Dweck stresses, adding that such requires the assistance of a gynaecologist.

Other information that should not be hidden from a gynaecologist are the type of medication or supplement the woman is on especially when planning a birth control or pregnancy, any experience of sexual abuse, recent abnormality in a woman's sleeping and menstrual period, which may be early signs of menopausal experience, according to Professor Minkin.

Minkin further challenges women to learn to seek advice from their gynaecologists when planning to get pregnant so as to get information concerning how best to keep themselves fertile.