Okay, so I've been hearing that we should be taking girls in earlier for a gynecologist appointment now a days, is this true? I have twin 15 year old girls, one has a boyfriend and the other doesn't. I have talked to them before about waiting till marriage, but also how to be safe and how they should come to me, and talk about it. I try to be as open with my girls. But what has been your experience with this? Do you take them together, or sepretly? Thanks for the help!
-D.
it's not a matter of being sexually active or not. 15 year old girls are old enough to be seen by a gyn and begin taking charge of their own reproductive health by developing a relationship with their practitioner. absolutely take them, and i would do it separately. they are twins but they are individuals, they should have access to private care and conversation with their gyn.
khairete
S.
My daughter is 14. I asked my gynecologist about when she should come in and she said 18 (or even older if she isn't having problems and isn't sexually active). I would ask you gynecologist her opinion.
my mom took me when i started menstrating. i think anytime after that is fine. its never too soon to start good gyno health. its a good habit to start. i would take them the same day. they may or may not want you in there and thats ok because they will be asked if they are sexually active etc.
Talking to them about waiting until marriage... is not the same as taking them to a Gyno appointment.
Girls, need to know, about their body, how to take care of it, and the medical aspects of it, and about diseases etc. And how birth control is not preventative against diseases etc. And how birth control is not 100% fool proof. And how... they are in control of their own body. Not a guy controlling it, or that their body is used in order to get a guy to love them.
Sure, having open communication with them is important.
But, it is not just telling them what you think or want them to do morally or philosophically, it is also about them being able to ask you.... ANY questions they have about their body... and about relationships etc.
Ask the Doctor's office, if both can be seen together.
And ask your girls, if they want to be together or not. They may want privacy.
You know, seeing a gynecologist is more than just about sex/birth control/std's. It's also about pap smears, cancer prevention (I know they're young but still, it's important to talk about) and general vanginal exams to make sure everything is ok. The younger they start, the easier it is to get into the routine of annual exams.
About taking your girl together or seperatly, ak them. It' best to let them be in control...it's whatever makes them comfortable.
Good for you for wanting to start this early. You are good mom.
At 15, they should see a gynecologist for an appointment. No matter how open you are with them, they can discuss things confidentially with a doctor that they may not with you -and those things may be the difference in an STD or pregnancy. Make sure you KEEP talking to them about being safe -keep that dialog going all the time. Don't just say things like, "You know you should use birth control if you ever have sex." -Get really specific about different sexual practices and different STDs and how they're transmitted. Even if it makes you uncomfortable, it's not nearly as uncomfortable as the alternative.
I will take my daughter well before she turns 15. She just turned 10 and is already beginning puberty. Seeing a GYN is about health care, and preventative health care. A girl does not need to be sexually active before seeing a doctor. AFTER a teen becomes sexually active is too late! My brother's very, very first sexual experience was named Malinda, nine months later, and she was born when he was still 18!!
In our family, first visit is scheduled right after your first period OR during the summer of 8th-9th grade (whichever comes first... about half the girls in my family start menses at age 9 or 10, and the other half at 16 or 17).
My daughter isn't even close to this age yet. I may change my mind later but right now my thought is that I wouldn't take them yet unless they have specific health issues that need to be addressed or if they are sexually active.
My doc told me the girls don't need to see a ob/gyn until they are 18 or sexually active - and really don't need to unless there is an issue with their cycle. Of course the doctor talks to them about other issues, but it's the exam that can be more traumatic to younger girls.
My mother never took me or my sister we went on our own - it never came up?!?
Yes, take her. I hear of so many girls going on the pill today for "acne" - don't have a pediatrician or dermatologist do this - make sure she has an exam & knows what is & isn't acceptable.
My mom first took me when I was 15. I am now 29. I am VERY close to my mom and always have been. She was right there with me. We had a very open conversation--the 3 of us--about every female issue out there. Not just about sex, birth control, etc. But, about everything that my body and I would be going thru. It was a great learning experience for me. It also helped how close my mom and I were. I was very comfortable having her there with me, and knowing that I could openly talk about anything with her.
I did have a pap at that time, for a couple of reasons-primarily cancer which is strong in my family. I also got on birth control at that time--not for protection, but for heavy bleeding that runs in my family. Here I am at 29 & 3 kids later, and I still have to take the pill for that same reason, ugh!
Anyways, there are many reasons as to why a girl should start seeing an obgyn. I personally don't think there is anything wrong with taking her at this age. It is a BIG step in her life, and as long as you are there for her, there i nothing wrong with it at all.
Good luck!
You should ask your obgyn...I talked to mine about my 16yo daughter and the doc told me that there are no reputable Ob's in town who would see a girl before she's 18 UNLESS the girl states she's been sexually active.
I did wait until marriage and I didn't go to the gyn until 5 months before I got married so I could get on the pill. I was nearly 21. I don't see anything wrong in waiting. Besides, they say once you have 3 clean paps you can go at least 3 yrs in between so why go through that pain every year and starting at age 15! Sorry, I hate it.
I didn't go til I was in my 20s. My sister went in her late teens because she 1. had crippling periods and 2. had a serious older boyfriend. Talk to their pediatrician about what is right for them. My SD is 17 and has not gone yet. She sees her pediatrician (same doctor she's seen since she was about 11) annually and all parties are comfortable with that at this point. (In my case, we'd take her if she needed it, but it's probably something she'd prefer to have her mom do if she's still young enough to need a parent.)
I didnt take my daughter to see a gynecologist until she was 18. She saw a pediatrician up until she was about 13. And then she started going to a teen clinic. My son went to the pediatrician up until 15 and then he started going to the general medical doctor. Some start seeing teenagers around this age.
