When Should I Get My Daughters 1St GYN Appt

I think a good age is 14 or when the first period starts. I would ask your daughter if she were more comfi with a female GYN and take her. She may have questions that she doesn't want to ask anybody else... I know here in the States girls typically don't have their first exam until they are 18 or older but I grew up in Europe and over there girls pretty much go at age 14. And in this day and age young kids are bombarded with so much sexual stuff in movies and shows that I think it's just a good thing to take them to the GYN when they are younger.

I believe the "magical" age for annuals is 18. However, if she is sexually active, I believe it is immediately. In any case, make sure she gets that new vaccine that prevents HPV - that should be administered at age 11 I believe.

a girl doesn't need to see a gynecologist until she is in her early 20's, has a problem or is sexually active.

I have heard that it's better to have a history with a GYN or midwife BEFORE problems come up instead of waiting until there is a problem. She may not need to go every year, but being seen now that she has gotten her period would be a good way to establish a relationship and then she could go again in a couple years for a pap. No one is too young (nor too abstinent) to get cervical cancer, so if she starts getting screened earlier, the more chance there is of catching it early if she were to get it.

A lot of people will say it can wait until she's sexually active, but I think they are kidding themselves to think their daughter will be upfront with them as soon as she does start having sex. I know I didn't tell my parents. Luckily, my mom had already taken me to see a GYN and they had put me on BC for heavy periods. If she is already seeing the doc, then when she wants to start having sex, she can do it safely without having to tell you.

It's a hard transition, I'm sure. Talk to the people around you and your own practitioner and see what they say.

The general answer is when she becomes sexually active or turns 18 - whichever comes first. Unless there are problems, it's really not necessary to take her before then.

Remember, your first GYN? It can be a little frightening when you're 18. Now imagine it as a 12 year old - when everything is overwhelmingly embarassing! If there aren't any issues or problems, let her wait until it's time. : )

My OB-GYN told me that our daughter didn't need to be seen until she was 18. She said to bring her in earlier if she had problems or we thought (or knew) she was sexually active.

I would go along with you Ped. Your first appt is usually when you turn 18 or start having sex which every comes first.

I started getting them done a couple years after starting my period. In my opinion, I think a girl could start getting them done when a girl starts her period, but also think that the girl is not a virgin then it might not be wise. I would suggest her start getting them done when and if she starts using tampons or like her ped said, if problems arise. I hope this helps..

I believe the experts say that until your daughter is sexually active will she need to start going to the GYN. However, I have an 8 year old daughter and when she gets to be about 15-16 I may consider taking her to her first GYN appointment based off of my own personal life experience (it all depends on your relationship with your daughter as she progresses through puberity if both of you are open and honest with each other). Unless your daughter has other issues such has heavy bleeding or intolerable menstral cramps as she continues to develop, then I wouldn't worry about taking her until a later age that you would determine approprate for this type of medical exam. Everybody is different! :)

I was always told once you start your period you also start your yearly exams, but I think it is also your discretion when you would like her to start. I do think starting earlier could teach her good lessons in following through with her yearly as she gets older and it becomes her responsibility. Just a thought!

I think the recommendation is to go around age 14, or as soon as she is sexually active. I highly recommend finding a CNM instead of an OB/GYN. Even so, your daughter would probably feel more comfortable with a female.

Here's a nice educational website for your daughter:
http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp150.cfm

Hi J.!
Here is a good link to check out from women's health.gov, which is a government health website and reliable: http://www.4women.gov/FAQ/pap.htm
Basically, it says that women don't need to start getting pap tests until they are 21 or have been sexually active for 3 years. So I don't think you need to take your 12 year old in for her GYN yet. It would be embarrassing and unnecessary, in my opinion. Personally, since I chose not to have sex until I got married, I never went to a GYN until I was 24, just before my wedding. Also, you might want to get your daughter's opinion on this since it intimately concerns her.
Best wishes,
J. B

A good friend of mine had her family dr explain to her daughters that they would need to have their 1st exam at 18 or when they became sexually active and exactly how it was done(showing them the stirrups and speculum etc) Both then said they were not going to have sex if they had to have that done! Maybe a good way to get them to wait until at least 18 to have sex!

I have 2 girls of my own and 2 step daughters ages 16-21, The girls and I have always been open about any type of female questions, I don't believe that they need to have an GYN appt for any type of pap until they decide to be sexually active, as long as her periods aren't causing her bad cramps or they are not regular. A good answer would be to ask your GYN when they feel would be a good time. At 12 my girls weren't ready for that experience at the dr! After my oldest and my step daughter had their first pap they just couldn't tell me any more than it was the most embarrassing thing they had ever had. That was just this past fall!

I asked my ob/gyn about my daughter and he said unless she is sexually active there is NO need for an exam, unless there is problems with her periods.

Unless your daughter is having heavy or painful periods, she can wait til she is 18 unless sexually active before that. You may want to check on her getting the cervical cancer vaccine though. It is given in 3 shots- maybe the pediatrician can guide you on that.

I never had problems so I didn't go until I was 20 and was pregnant for the first time. I was a little nervous but my OBGYN said unless there are problems there is really no need.

i went when i was 15, i would start around then. i seen a women that i loved at seven women health arcross from anderson hospital. i am 29 and it has been a litlle while since i seen her. but she specializes in younger girls before birth. i had to move to the midwives when i had my kids. and i cannot remember her name but i looooovveeed her. she was so gentle and caring. i did not want to switch when i went to have kids. even if you take her for the first time so she can not completely check her out. you know the stirrups. but so she can talk to her and get to know her . i remember i was so scarred going my first time.i have heard they don't have to get the actuall swab until they have sex. but most kids i dont know if they would tell there mom that sort of thing.

I am a physician and a mother of 3 boys (so won't have the gyn issue with them!)
Your daughter should not have to see a GYN until at least age 18 unless she becomes sexually active. Hope this helps.

Hello my name is D. and I have four daughters ages 16,twins14, and an 11 year old whom have all started as well. Their doctor said that it wasn't necessary to have a pap smear until they were 18 years old or were having sex. Thank god I don't have to worry about that! I hope that this has been helpful to you.

That is a very invasive and traumatic experience, especially for a young girl. She does not need an exam by a GYN until she becomes sexually active or there are issues as the pediatrician stated. I don't believe I went to the GYN until the year I went to college at age 18.

J.,

I have three daughters ages ranging from 15 to 22. Our gyn said the same thing. They don't need to come see him unless there are problems. He said unless on started having sexual intercourse, he would not need to see them.
I wouldn't bother with it unless you have to.

Good Luck
T.

Most OB/GYN recommend that young women begin seeing them when they get their first period. If you have a comfortable relationship with your own GYN, make an appointment for your daughter with yours. It is important to start early for your daughter to feel comfortable and open with someone, so that if a problem does develop there is already a relationship and a confidant besides you.

You do not need a exam until you are sexually active. Even if you have period problems they may not do a exam depending on your problem. IF your ob/gyn is saying this I would be worried about him.

Jo

I was 15 when I had my first pelvic exam. I had a terrible case of yeast infection. The dr. at the time asked if I was sexually active (I was not) because now at 34 I know that pelvic diseased can be transmitted sexually. He told me that if I had no further problems, I didn't have to see him until I became sexually active. I went back at 19 and have gone every year since.

I have heard this advice so many times: girls do not need to see an OBGYN until they are sexually active, but like in my case, unless they have other pelvic issues.

I can tell you from my own experience that I was 12 when I started my period. When I was 15 I had a ruptured cyst on my right ovary and ended up in the hospital, I was in horrible pain. My very first experience with a GYN I was in pain, in a hospital and had to endure humiliating exams. When a problem arrises I don't think that is the best time to experience your first GYN exam. Not that having one at 12 would have been fun either but it would have been a lot easier to deal with the ordeal at the hospital had I known what to expect and been familiar with the dr. Can the ped. actually do the exam? I do not go to a GYN, I see our family dr. for paps, etc. Maybe you can just take her to see the GYN with out an actual exam just yet?

Have a very open discussion with your daughter and find out if she is sexually active. If she is or plans on being active soon...have an exam done. A normal healthy base line is nice to have for future reference if a problem does arise. It seems (only from what I have read and experienced myself with my daughter) when they become sexually active is when things start to go haywire. I never knew that a 17 yr old could get cervical cancer until it happened to my daughter. So back to the discussion...let her know in no uncertain terms that sex can not only get you pregnant, but it can get you sick or dead if your not very careful.

Hi> I am a mom of an 8yr old girl. My feeling is that once a girl starts her cycle, she should see an ob/gyn. Also, I would ask about the shot that can prevent cervical cancer.. I think she has to be 13 though!
good luck!!
Sam

as Doc Oz on Oprah said: "the vagina is a self cleaning oven"
as I recall my ancestors didn't go there unless there was
a problem. I recall not liking that exam, and I was 18 and there only for the pill... so I wouldn't become my mother who had 4 by 23.

If she isn't having any female issues I'd wait till she's sexually active or 18-whichever comes first. I'm a public health educator and mom of four girls ages 27, 23 and 18 year old twins. Arm her with all the info she needs re: stds, how you get them, how to avoid, pregnancy issues, the responsibilities of being sexually active are many-if you haven't started the dialogue by now, get going. I used color pictures when I showed my girls what STDs look like-that really brought the horrors of them home to the girls-warts and all.
If she has really bad cramps that's another reason to take her to the GYN.
Good luck. It's scary out there.

I am 52 and had my first pelvic exam at 18. I was married and pregnant at the time. I think unless there is a reason such as problems or sexually active I would never put my daughter through the embarassment. I would have been mortified if I had been younger.

If there is a family history of "female" trouble, that is another reason to take her before the 18/sexually active point. My mother and grandmother both had problems so I started seeing the obgyn at 14.

Hi i am L. mother of 4 and a current nursing student, i have always been told and understood that once a young woman starts her period she needs to have her first appointment with the GYN and one every year to follow. After all the best way to take care of any issues that arise are early detection. I hope i helped and good luck

If there are problems, extremely heavy flows, abnormal cycles (bleeding more than once a month or longer than normal) definifite see a gyn. If she's normal then don't worry about it until she's older 17, 18 y.o. If you know she's sexually active then she'll need an exam as well. I had my first at 18 when I went on bcp. My poor sister battled awful periods from agee 14 and had to be put on bcp to regulate her cycles.

good luck!

I have a 19 yr old daughter, I took her when she was 16 and the dr told me that the first exam should be at age 18 unless there is problems or they are sexually active.