Undergoing a gynaecological examination is an essential health practice which is very much recommended to be adopted by women. A wide-ranging number of women all over the globe will have to undertake a gynaecological examination at some point in their lives and some may have to experience medical screenings throughout their lives (Nylenna, 1985., Wijma et.al, 1998., Fiddes et.al, 2003., Hilden et.al, 2003).
Mammogram, Pap Smear Test and many other screenings are some of the screenings to get done as a routine gynaecological check-up. In case of menstrual issues, like irregular periods, abnormally intense pains during menstruation, short or lengthy period among others are the red flags which every woman should be aware of.
Ideally, the entire process of consultancy starting from seeing the patient to screening till communicating the results of the test to the patient and her relatives should be a positive experience for them. Since many of the patients feel vulnerable during the entire course. But on the contrary, Indian gynaecologists are perceived to be judgmental, sexist and misogynistic by most of the young women.
This is coming from my friend’s first -hand experience. My friend’s period got delayed by three months. She got anxious as to why isn’t she bleeding that specific month. So, she resorted to gynaecological intervention. Upon narrating some of the rudiments of her issue, the doctor handed over a pregnancy testing kit to her. My friend was aghast. She had informed her clearly that she hasn’t had sexual relations with anyone yet. But the doctor turned a deaf ear towards her pleas. She was firm on her ground.
Helpless, my friend was left with no other option than to go through a pregnancy test. That moment was like as if someone had stripped her naked. It was extremely terrifying for her. She couldn’t imagine in her darkest days that something so horrible would happen to her, for which words can’t do justice for elucidating that traumatic experience. She was sobbing hard after that. I have learnt from many other friends having received uncalled and unasked suggestions to get married as soon as possible. To get a sonogram conducted, it is not unusual for some gynaecologists to refute from performing their duties unless the patients bring their parents along.
Many women have come up with their personal experiences of visiting gynaecologists on social media platforms under the title #obgyntales. Women have expressed about how they were subjected to judgmental comments, speculating gaze, irrelevant questions during the consultation. Kamini Shukla, a young professional confessed, “In my case, I felt that I was treated like a machine. Hospital is not an assembly line. I am a human and deserve a little more sensitivity.’’
A survey was organized by Haiyya, a Delhi based non-profit campaign with unmarried women in Delhi, in order to understand their experiences concerning stigma around sexual and reproductive and menstrual health services. 1% of women said that their source of information regarding sexual and reproductive rights is their mothers, doctors and government campaigns. 53% of those women were unsure if their sexual and reproductive health problems were intense enough for paying a visit to a gynaecologist.
The findings highlighting this stigma and how does it impact unmarried women’s perspective about their reproductive and sexual health, and thereby puts their lives at risk, have been published in the ‘Health Over Stigma’ campaign report by Haiyya.
Neglecting menstrual and reproductive health can have an adverse impact on their overall health and wellbeing. Women should be beware of associated health issues such as fibrosis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, breast complications and another malfunctioning of the female reproductive system and thereby having an honest dialogue about these concerns with a gynaecologist is very crucial for sustaining longevity. This is also because the nature of menstruation varies in all women throughout their menstrual journeys.