title: Screening for Gynecologic Conditions With Pelvic Examination: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement.
abstract: Many conditions that can affect women's health are often evaluated through pelvic examination. Although the pelvic examination is a common part of the physical examination, it is unclear whether performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic women has a significant effect on disease morbidity and mortality.
  
  
  
  To issue a new US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation on screening for gynecologic conditions with pelvic examination for conditions other than cervical cancer, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, for which the USPSTF has already made specific recommendations.
  
  
  
  The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on the accuracy, benefits, and potential harms of performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women 18 years and older who are not at increased risk for any specific gynecologic condition.
  
  
  
  Overall, the USPSTF found inadequate evidence on screening pelvic examinations for the early detection and treatment of a range of gynecologic conditions in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women.
  
  
  
  The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of performing screening pelvic examinations in asymptomatic, nonpregnant adult women. (I statement) This statement does not apply to specific disorders for which the USPSTF already recommends screening (ie, screening for cervical cancer with a Papanicolaou smear, screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia).
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bibbins-Domingo
authors.affiliation: Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa, Iowa City.
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Karina W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
authors.forename: Chyke A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Doubeni
authors.affiliation: State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Epling
authors.affiliation: Pima County Department of Health, Tucson, Arizona.
authors.forename: Francisco A R
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Alex R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kemper
authors.affiliation: Fairfax Family Practice Residency, Fairfax, Virginia11Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: Alex H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Krist
authors.affiliation: Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kurth
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
authors.forename: C Seth
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Landefeld
authors.affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mangione
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle.
authors.forename: William R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Maureen G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Phipps
authors.affiliation: Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silverstein
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, New York20James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
authors.forename: Albert L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Siu
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii, Manoa.
authors.forename: Chien-Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Tseng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D026683:Advisory Committees; D000368:Aged; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D058869:Gynecological Examination; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult