BMJ  2006;333 (22 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.333.7560.0

Women prefer speculum examinations without stirrups

Women feel less vulnerable and experience less discomfort when speculum examinations (as part of routine gynaecological examination) are carried out without stirrups. Seehusen and colleagues (p 171) randomised 197 adult women from a US family medicine outpatient clinic who were undergoing routine gynaecological examination and cervical smear to examination with or without stirrups. When the women's perceived levels of physical discomfort were measured on 100 mm visual analogue scales, the level for those examined without stirrups was 17.2 compared with 30.4 in the stirrups group. Sense of vulnerability in the group of women examined without stirrups was reduced from 23.6 to 13.1, whereas sense of loss of control was the same in both groups.

Credit: MARK THOMAS/SPL

 

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