Storytime, kids. Listen up! The other day, I was at the hospital getting a routine full body check-up done. After tons of tests that drew to an end after several hours, I went up to the nurse and remarked that they hadn’t given me a slot to visit a gynaecologist. To this, the nurse exclaimed, “Arrey, but you’re so young, why do you want to see one?” Pardon my French, but WTF? I wasn’t aware that the health of my lady bits had anything to do with my age, but I persisted and got a check-up done anyways. The first one ever in all my 22 years of having a vagina. You might think that because you have no symptoms of any problems, it’s all good down there. Beware of such notions, my friends, because as they say, prevention is better than cure. So, here are 7 reasons why you MUST visit a gynaecologist, and not wait till you ‘get married‘…
1. Menstrual Abnormalities
Any kind of abnormalities in your period should be taken seriously. Go for a check-up if you feel a change in your body, even the slightest one, and are worried about:
- Irregular menstrual cycles.
- You miss a period.
- Recurrent periods that occur every 21 days or lesser.
- Inter-menstrual bleeding (bleeding occurring in between periods).
- Your period lasts for more than a week (7 days).
- Your period flow is abnormally heavy.
2. Birth Control
If you’re planning to get on a specific form of contraceptive, do consult a gynaecologist beforehand. It could be that your body could respond differently to specific medications. So, before putting anything into your body, please pay a visit to your gynaecologist!
3. Discharge Down There
It’s no news that your vagina secretes a discharge daily, that may vary in colour depending on your cycle. If there is an odour that persists, it could be a symptom of an infection, hence precautions must be taken before it could become anything serious!
4. Painful Cramps
Yes, we all suffer from period cramps (and to those who don’t—how does it feel like to be God’s favourite?). However, there is a fine line between normal cramps and extremely painful ones that make you want to kill all of mankind. If you suffer from vomiting, fainting, and unbearable pain during your periods, then my friend, it is time to consult a gynaecologist.
5. Issues Regarding Your Breasts
There could be a discharge from your breast, uneasiness during and after your period, or a lump in your breast; these are all very relevant reasons to visit the gynaecologist. It is highly recommended that you shouldn’t turn a blind eye to such symptoms.
6. A Pap Smear
Believe it or not, every woman, 21 years and older, should get a pap smear done to ward off any possibilities of cancer or other diseases such as breast cancer that women are immune to. Many women mention that they regret not having gotten a pap smear when they were younger.
7. Your Overall Wellbeing
This is the most obvious one, but a yearly check-up with your gynaecologist is ideal! Just to be safe, knowing about the health of your lady bits can’t hurt, can it? Therefore, go to one today, to be on the safe side.
So, when are you booking your appointment with the gynaecologist? Let us know in the comments below.
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