Free Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Book Collective Page B

AS A HEALTH CARE CONSUMER
    No matter where you go for health care, you should be treated without judgment. Conversations about sex should be accurate, clear, complete, and free of prejudice regarding your sexual identity or preferences. If you have questions about contraception or STIs, your questions should be answered directly without comment on whether the provider thinks it’s appropriate for you to be having sex. You have the right to make decisions about your body. No one can force you to have a physical exam or undergo any treatment you personally refuse.
    Once the exam begins, if for any reason you feel unsafe, or if your provider is being rough, dismissive, or uncooperative, you can end the exam and leave the room; you are never obligated to see an appointment through to the end. Use the word “Stop” to indicate clearly that you don’t want to continue. If you say, “Ouch,” or are crying, some practitioners may not really notice. Saying “Stop!” loudly and clearly will get their attention and remind them that “no means no,” even in the doctor’s office.
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WHEN YOU ARRIVE
    When you arrive at the clinic or office, you’ll usually be given forms to fill out that ask important questions about your health history and any current health issues or problems you are experiencing. Complete these as fully and honestly as possible, as your answers will help determine your course of care. The information you provide and any test results are confidential.
    In the United States, your health information is protected and private according to a law known as HIPAA (hhs.gov/ocr/privacy). You should be notified of the practitioner or clinic’s privacy policies in writing, and you will be asked to sign paperwork regarding your privacy, including approving to whom your information can be released and under what conditions. (For more information, see “Rights Regarding Medical Records,” )
    If the reason for your visit includes vaginal pain or irritation, you may be asked to urinateinto a cup so your urine can be analyzed for signs of a urinary tract infection or for a pregnancy test. (Even if you are certain you aren’t pregnant, your health care provider may require a pregnancy test before prescribing birth control or inserting an IUD, or as part of a diagnostic workup for a problem like abnormal bleeding or pain.) If you don’t need to give a urine sample, use the toilet anyway—gynecological exams are much more comfortable if your bladder is empty.
    When you are brought to the exam room, the person doing the initial health assessment—usually a medical assistant, not the provider who will give you the exam—will take some basic measurements, including your height, weight, heart rate, and blood pressure. Then you will be given a gown to wear during the exam and the medical assistant will leave the room so you can undress in private. Sometimes, especially if you are a new patient, your provider may meet with you before you get undressed.
    Let someone know if you feel uncomfortable being alone with the provider during the exam. You can ask to have a medical assistant or another attendant in the room. If your provider is a man, many offices do this automatically.
    Once you are in the gown, your provider will come in and review your health history (the questions you answered upon arrival) and ask follow-up questions about that history or any current problems or concerns. If you have been doing regular vaginal self-exams or charting your menstrual cycle , you will be able to tell your health care provider about any changes you have noticed, or simply help her or him understand what is normal for you. If you know anything about the size of speculum that works for you or where your cervix can be found, tell the provider.
    Having a gynecological exam is an intimate and invasive experience. But providers who do them over and over again sometimes forget this. If