Posted By: Dr. Usha M Kumar on 20 Nov 2022
When should you consult a Gynecologist? At what age should you start seeing a Gynecologist? What is the right time to visit a Gynecologist? Dr. Usha M Kumar, a Top gynaecologist in India with over 20 years of experience, helps us understand what does a Gynecologist do and tells us why it is important to visit a Gynecologist for menstrual problems, reproductive health questions, contraception (safe sex) advice for women, and maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle. She also talks about the recommended age to visit a Gynecologist for the first time.
Women are anxious to meet a gynaecologist. So, Dr. Usha would advise women not to be anxious about problems and whatever it may be to please reach out to a doctor. There are solutions, but they should be given at the right time. People looking for a pregnancy, people looking for contraception or family planning; they want to space their pregnancies, people who are looking for sterilization, and women with menopausal problems.
According to Dr. Usha, a visit to the doctor between 13 and 15 years, is advised. That’s the time girls attain their maturity and that’s when it is advised to give the cervical cancer vaccine before their sexual life starts. But in India, that is not very common. We advise that when there is a problem like a delay in attaining maturity, or if the mother finds signs of early maturation, then they have to reach out to a doctor, immediately.
Many may have excessive bleeding at that stage of life. They might relate it to menstrual problems, but there might be other bleeding or clotting factors that get ignored and could cause a lot of other medical problems, later on. There are different conditions, pathologies, or diseases that can happen at every stage of life. People undergo difficulties when they cross from one stage to the other. Many are not aware of what those problems are, and how to solve them, and how not reaching out for help can impact their lives. Unawareness about sexual or reproductive health may cause unwanted pregnancies, and many are not aware of the concept of contraception or family planning. Contraception is very important at that stage, as is safe sex.
A gynecologist can help women understand what fertility is and how to avoid problems later on in their reproductive life. I think meeting a gynecologist for an annual check-up itself is a stigma in our society, nobody comes to a doctor unless they have a problem. They feel that meeting a gynecologist is wrong and they should reach out to a doctor, only if they are pregnant.
As doctors, we can explain the conditions at each stage of a woman’s life, what can be diagnosed and what can be missed if they don’t visit a doctor, regularly. A regular check-up can help us diagnose breast cancer, which otherwise might be diagnosed only in the later stages of life. We do screening for cervical cancer which can detect it in its early stages so that we can avert bigger problems. Women are anxious to meet a gynaecologist. So, Dr. Usha, Top Gynaecologist in India would advise women not to be anxious about problems and whatever it may be to please reach out to a doctor. There are solutions, but they should be given at the right time. So, when and where you have a problem, please reach out to a doctor.
