How to Prepare for Your Gynecologist Appointment: What to Expect and Tips for Your Visit

Words by María Teresa Alzuru
Illustration by Emily Fender

An illustration of Black person with twisted hair wearing a red shirt. They have a thought bubble above them with a pregnancy test, bandaid, stethoscope, and scale.

Illustration by Emily Fender

Whether you are going for the first or the tenth time, a visit with your gynecologist can often come with some level of anxiety.

Knowing what will happen and what kind of care you can expect may help relieve some of that natural anxiety. Note: Gynecologic services can be provided by various types of health care providers, not just gynecologists. 


What usually happens at a gynecologist visit?

As with almost any type of primary care visit, someone will likely take your vitals. This means they will take your weight, height, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and possibly your oxygen saturation (especially now in times of COVID-19). Usually these are taken by someone other than your doctor, like a nurse, assistant, or technician. 

What questions will my gynecologist ask?

You should expect your gynecologist to ask you some questions about yourself, especially if it’s your first time seeing them. At a regular check-up where nothing specific has brought you in, they may be interested in your personal and family history, past surgeries, medications, chronic conditions, allergies, and any other major family illnesses. 

They will ask about your periods.

If you have a period, you should be prepared to tell them the first day of your last period and how long your period usually lasts. They’ll want to know if you have any pain, cramps, heavy bleeding, irregularity in your flow, or mood changes. They may also want to know if any of these things are regular for you or if they are recent changes.

If you recently got your period for the first time, it’s totally normal to experience fluctuations for the first couple of years.

If you’re perimenopausal (soon to go through menopause), they can help you identify that and explain what you can expect as you go through menopause. 

Will my doctor as me about STD testing?

Yes, your health care provider will ask if you’re sexually active. They will ask about your sexual history including whether you’re “sexually active,” who your partner(s) is/are, and what types of sex you’re having. They may also ask if you’ve had any issues related to sex like pain, low libido, or difficulty reaching orgasm. 

Naturally, if you’re having any type of sex, they may ask how you’re protecting yourself from sexually transmitted infections (AKA STDs) like gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, HIV, syphilis, HPV. They also might ask if you’ve ever had any STDs.

Questions about your sexual behavior and partners will determine what kind of STD screenings they recommend. For example, gonorrhea can infect the throat, genitals and rectum, and any orifice used for sex can be swabbed for STIs. They can also offer STD testing and treatment, the HPV vaccine, and PrEP—medication you can take to prevent HIV.

How do I talk to my doctor about birth control?

If you’re not interested in getting pregnant but you’re having sex, you should discuss birth control with your health care provider. They will ask what you’ve used in the past (if anything) and/or what methods are available to you if you would like to start or change methods.

If you’re interested in getting pregnant, this is a great place to start having conversations about how to prepare and what to expect. If you think you’re pregnant, you can get a pregnancy test and discuss options with your provider, including abortion care.  

Will my gynecologist ask about abuse or sexual violence?

Yes—your gynecologist may ask about your safety at home and whether you’ve experienced any form of violence or abuse. This is to ensure you receive appropriate, sensitive care. If you share concerns, your provider can adjust exams to prioritize your comfort and, if needed, may offer services such as a rape kit exam.

You should always feel like you can bring any questions or concerns to your provider during your visit. Oftentimes, you only get one visit per year to see them face to face and it’s a great opportunity for full disclosure. 

What exams will they perform at my gynecologist visit?

A standard gynecologic visit will include two types of exams: a breast exam and a pelvic exam with a Pap test. Below is a more detailed list of what each entails. An important note is that a pelvic exam and Pap test are not recommended at every annual visit. If you don’t think you need one because you had one recently, it’s ok to tell your provider when your last exam was done. 

What happens during a breast exam?

  • The purpose of a breast exam is to detect any lumps or irregularities that could be a sign of breast cancer.

  • The doctor will use their fingers to feel for lumps or tenderness in your breasts, usually they use a motion as if they are using their fingers to “walk” over your breasts in circles.

  • Get a breast exam every 1 to 3 years from ages 25 to 39. Once you turn 40, get a breast exam every year. You can start getting a mammogram every 1 to 2 years at 40, or you can wait until you turn 50. Breast exams are usually included in your regular gynecological check-ups.

  • Breast exams usually aren’t painful but it depends on your body. Some people have a lot of breast tissue and breast tissue can swell and cause pain due to hormones.

What happens during a pelvic exam? 

  • The purpose of a pelvic exam is to evaluate your organs to see if anything looks abnormal or feels painful or tender.

  • The doctor will insert one or two lubricated, gloved fingers into your vagina and with their other hand on the outside of your lower abdomen, they will feel around to make sure your vagina, uterus and ovaries are healthy.

    If medically indicated, they may also perform a recto-vaginal examination with one finger in the rectum and the other in the vagina. This is not part of every pelvic exam and is only recommended if there is a specific complaint that this could help diagnose. There is no specific age when this begins. 

  • Pain involved: This should not be painful but introducing the speculum can feel like pressure in your vagina. If you do feel pain, you should tell your doctor. 

How often should I get a pelvic exam?

It depends. After your first pelvic exam, your health care provider will let you know when you need to come back. It’ll depend on your medical history and whether you have any health issues.

You may need more frequent pelvic exams if you have:

  • A history of HPV

  • a history of abnormal Pap test results

  • a history of sexual health problems

  • a family history of certain kinds of cancer

  • an STD or a sex partner with an infection 

  • recurrent vaginitis

What happens during a Pap test?

  • The purpose of a Pap test is to take a sample from your cervix to test for abnormalities that may be signs of cervical cancer. 

  • Your health care provider will use a speculum to essentially hold the walls of your vagina open while they quickly insert a long swab to collect samples for testing. The speculum may be metal or plastic but should have warm water or a lubricant applied prior to insertion.

  • Recommended frequency: 

    • Under 21: no screening

    • 21-29 years: every 3 years

    • 30-65 years: every 3 years OR an HPV test every 5 years, OR both every 5 years.

    • Above 65: no screening if a) you’ve had normal results for the last 10 years and b) you never had a “high-grade” precancerous lesion detected on previous pap smears. 

  • Pain involved: Should not feel any pain, just the pressure of the speculum. The swab itself should not cause pain.

How often should I get a Pap test?

How often you get a Pap test will depend on how old you are, your medical history, and the results of your last Pap or HPV tests. In general:

  • If you’re 21–24 years old: depending on your preference and the type of testing that’ is available in your area, you can choose to get a Pap test every 3 years, or you can wait until you’re 25 years old to start getting tested.

  • If you’re 25–65 years old: get an HPV test every 5 years if the sample is collected by a doctor or nurse, or every 3 years if you collect the sample yourself. You could also get a Pap test and HPV test together every 5 years. If you live in a place where HPV tests aren’t available, get a Pap test every 3 years.

  • If you’re older than 65: you may not need HPV/Pap tests anymore.

Gender Affirming and Inclusive Care

It’s important to keep in mind that patients who seek gynecological care can be of different gender identities and sexualities. While more and more doctors are learning strategies for practicing gender affirming care, there are a few things you as the patient can do to get the care you deserve.

How do I prepare for my gynecologist appointment if I’m trans or non-binary?

Transgender and nonbinary people share many of the same general health care needs as cisgender individuals, while also sometimes needing gender-affirming and trans-competent care. Regardless of the type of care, they deserve to be treated with respect in all health care settings.

Ideally, your provider will initiate these conversations but you should feel empowered to do so yourself if they don’t: 

  • Let them know your preferred pronouns.

  • Provide an organ inventory. This means letting them know if you’ve had any organs removed as well as what you prefer to call each organ. For example, in a typical visit, you would be given a breast exam but you may prefer your doctor refer to this differently.

  • Ask for an appointment first thing in the morning. If you’re concerned about a waiting room full of people, explain to your doctor’s office that you would prefer to take their first appointment in the morning when the waiting room will be empty or less busy. 

How can I provide better care for trans people as a nurse or doctor?

In addition to offering the options above and initiating these important conversations with your patients, you may also consider: 

  • Lead by example by displaying your pronouns on a clearly visible pin. This can set the tone for your patients to feel like they can advocate for their care.

  • Add gender neutral bathrooms in your practice.

  • Put varied reading material in your waiting room and on the walls.

  • Make sure your clinical forms allow patients to indicate their sex assigned at birth as well as their gender identity separately (allow fill in the blank option for the latter)

  • Avoid assumptions about your patients. Don’t assume your trans patients have gender dysphoria. If this is a code to help their treatment or care get covered by insurance, explain that to your patient so they know why it appears on their chart. If that’s not a concern, consider other accurate descriptions related to hormone imbalance that may be less problematic for a patient who does not feel any dysmorphia. 

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