title: Should the annual pelvic examination go the way of annual cervical cytology?
abstract: The value of pelvic examination for healthy asymptomatic women has been called into question given the lack of benefit for ovarian and endometrial cancer screening, the ability to screen for sexually transmitted infections without a pelvic examination, and the uncoupling of the procurement of contraception with a pelvic examination. Still, there are indications for performing pelvic examinations in symptomatic women and in some high risk women. How do we as clinicians apply current evidence and expert opinion to our medical practice? Our recommendation to consider a pelvic examination at 3-5-year intervals with cervical cancer screening to elicit gynecologic and sexual health concerns offers a compromise between continuation of unnecessary annual pelvic examinations and complete elimination of these examinations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Kathy L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: MacLaughlin
authors.forename: Stephanie S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Faubion
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Sandhya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pruthi
authors.forename: Petra M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Casey
mesh_terms: D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D058869:Gynecological Examination / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D016387:Women's Health
keywords: bimanual; pelvic examination; screening; speculum examination