When to do internal inspection?

Internal examination can only be done when pregnant women are preparing for delivery, usually around 38 weeks. By stimulating the cervix, it can increase the chance of a normal delivery, stimulate the uterus to mature earlier and the uterus's contraction ability, and prevent inflammation. During internal examination, pregnant women should pay attention to the hygiene of the vulva. They can rinse it with clean water, then wear loose clothing, and try to be on an empty stomach before the examination.

1 When should internal inspection be done?

Internal examination is usually done when the baby is about to be born. Generally around the 38th week of pregnancy, some hospitals will perform an internal cervical stimulation examination to understand whether the width of the pelvic cavity is suitable for natural delivery. At the same time, they also hope to stimulate the cervix to mature earlier and promote the appearance of labor signs to avoid overdue pregnancy. Another thing to note is that in addition to internal examinations during pregnancy, you also need to do an internal examination before preparing for pregnancy to find out if there is any inflammation and to do a cervical cytology examination. If there are any problems, they should be treated in time before pregnancy. Therefore, internal examination is usually performed when the baby is about to be born.

2 When to do internal inspection: Preparations for internal inspection

The night before the internal examination, the mother must clean her vulva. Just rinse with clean water, as the wash may cover up any existing vaginal diseases. Put on clean underwear and clothes that are easy to put on and take off. Before the internal examination, the bladder should be empty. Some people may feel pain during internal examination due to excessive tension. At this time, they should try to relax and take deep breaths. The more relaxed and cooperative the mother is, the better the doctor's examination will be.

3 When to do internal inspection: Steps for internal inspection

1. Place a clean disposable hip pad on the examination bed.

2. Take off one leg of trousers (usually the left leg), lie flat on the examination bed with the bladder stone positioned and wait for examination.

3. The doctor will insert a finger into the vagina and place the other hand on the upper abdomen to check the position or size of the uterus, shape, hardness and whether the number of weeks of pregnancy is consistent with the size of the uterus.

4 When to do internal examination: How to reduce the discomfort caused by internal examination

If possible, think about why the internal examination makes you uncomfortable before going to the obstetrics and gynecology department. Is it because you are shy, or it is uncomfortable when the "duckbill" is inserted, or the doctor's "force" is too strong. During the internal examination, you may feel a little uncomfortable or painful when the doctor's fingers are inserted into the vagina and press against the cervix. You can take deep breaths and count numbers to relax yourself. Tell your doctor about your feelings, such as fear or pain. Trust that your doctor will do his or her best to understand how you feel and try to resolve your anxiety or discomfort.

Before the internal examination, the doctor or nurse will ask whether the woman has ever had sexual intercourse. If the woman has not had sexual intercourse, she can also take the initiative to mention this to avoid damaging the hymen. Please note that your doctor will only ask questions that are private and relevant to your medical condition. When you go to the obstetrics and gynecology department, wear a comfortable top, long skirt, and short socks to avoid the embarrassment of having to take off your pants and expose your butt before getting on the examination table. Although it is embarrassing to open your legs, you can lie down and look at the ceiling instead of seeing the doctor to reduce the embarrassment of face to face. The vast majority of obstetricians and gynecologists do not look at your organs in a strange way. For most doctors, internal examination is just one of their work items, so they will not have any special thoughts. For their own health, they still hope that women can relax and let the disease be correctly diagnosed and treated appropriately.