Gynecology news: New study suggests alternative to stirrups for pelvic exams
Gynecology news
No matter how many pelvic examinations a woman has had, she's not ever likely to feel at ease about being asked to perch her unclothed hips at the edge of the exam table and place her feet up in metal stirrups. This indelicate position — known in medical parlance as the dorsal lithotomy position — is an integral part of the pelvic exam and Pap screening, which involves widening the vagina with a speculum and obtaining cells from the cervix. The stirrups position is thought to afford the best view of the vulvovaginal area and facilitate proper placement of the speculum.
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