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46 Women Share The Advice From Their Gynecologists They’ll Never Forget
A survey of 2,000 women found that one in ten couldn't correctly identify a diagram of the female reproductive system. The results were revealing: nearly one in four misidentified the vagina, almost half (46%) couldn't properly identify the cervix, and six in ten mistook the uterus for a different body part.
The good news? Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed admitted they don't know as much about women's anatomy as they should, and 42% said they wished they had a better understanding of their own bodies.
To help close that knowledge gap, one person on Threads asked women to share the most valuable thing a gynecologist had ever told them that every woman should know. The responses poured in, with hundreds of women sharing advice, misconceptions, and little-known facts that deserve to be common knowledge. Here are some of the most-liked replies.
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#1
1 in 4 pregnancies end in a miscarriage.
The most common cause of a miscarriage is chromosomal abnormalities.
If you have a miscarriage, it’s likely nothing you did, it’s not your fault, and you’re not alone.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 3 hours ago
Apparently a lot of miscarriages happen very early, you might not even know you are pregnant.
RELATED:
#2
If she says, “it’s just a pinch,” or “it’s just uncomfortable,” without pain management, she’s lying. It will be pain that redefines your pain scale.
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 hours ago
Never ceases to amaze when women doctors lie to patients about this.
#3
“If it was supposed to smell like flowers then it would.”
#4
Using pantyliners daily actually traps the bacteria. Is better to use breathable cotton undies
#5
Take the pill without the 7 day break. You’ll never get a period, and it’s perfectly safe to do so.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
This isn't true for every person who menstruates, sadly. I did this for years, both with the pill when I was younger and with the Nuvaring (intra-váginal hormonal BC device) later on. I still had full periods while using both BC methods, even without the weeklong "breaks." I am 44, have been menstruating since I was 11, and I am ready to be done XD
#6
No matter how long you've been married/monogamous, you should always get tested for STIs
#7
Migraines caused by the pill mean that you are at increased risk of stroke or blood clots
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 hours ago
My doctors discovered an abnormality when I was 26 and told me never take another hormone based prophylactic because the area of my brain where my migraines originate means I’m at increased risk of a stroke. I followed this advice and eventually had a tubal ligation followed by a hysterectomy at 39. I had a debilitating stroke at 46.
#9
My gyno told me if you have PCOS or something that causes less periods, you absolutely need to get checked for uterine cancer/be aware of the signs. If our uterus doesn’t shed like it should, we’re more likely to get uterine cancer. I’m 33 and was just told this last year after almost 15 years of extremely sparse periods (I’m all good though thank goodness)
#10
It takes more than 6 weeks to heal after having a baby
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 hours ago
The 6 weeks thing is capitalism based lies to get you back to work early.
#11
Our breast tissue is also located in our underarms and upper back. When you do your monthly self breast exam, check in these locations for lumps as well.
#13
Bleeding heavy for 7 days is not normal. I went in and turns out I have a cyst and my lining was wasaayy to thick. Finally got on the right medication and I’ve never felt better during my periods
#14
Most women will push out a baby and you won’t even be able to tell 8 weeks later. “Stretching it out” is a myth.
#15
I’m a 4th year Naturopathic Medical Student. And one of my mentors gave me a great piece advice saying, “sometimes all a woman needs is a boyfriend-ectomy” … the way it’s so true though. when women leave stressful situations and relationships, their body can finally start to re-regulate again
#16
“We have many pain relief options for IUD insertion…everything from a pain block with local anesthetic to putting you under. Which pathway do you feel comfortable pursuing?” -Absolute GAME CHANGER!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
...I never got offered any pain relief when I had my IUD inserted, lol. I'm used to tolerating pain without complaint (thanks, childhood) so I just sort of laid there and took it. It WAS incredibly painful, more than "just a poke" that the GYN said it'd be. After a while, she asked if I was okay. I said "yes, why do you ask?" and she replied that most patients flinch involuntarily or mention pain/discomfort, and she said "You must have a very high pain tolerance!" ...yeah, you could say that XD I do wish she'd offered some pain relief, though! That insertion was quite painful XD
#17
There is a nerve directly connecting your right ovary to the appendix. So, when you ovulate on the right, you might experience symptoms similar to the ones of appendicitis. That’s why until the 80s many young girls where operated of appendicitis when they were actually ovulating...
Found out recently at 28, apparently I’m one of those who ovulates on the right and thankfully they didn’t wrongly remove my appendix
#18
You can still get pregnant even if you aren’t ovulating
#19
one of the causes for BV can be drying your underwear with dryer sheets, now i wash them in a separate load with just unscented laundry detergent and hang dry them or throw them in dryer without adding anything. keep it simple, no fragrances! and obviously wipe front to back
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
I never use fabric softener or dryer sheets when washing/drying my crótch-wardrobe. I'm sensitive to fragrances anyway (a lot of contact dermatitis) so it always seemed safer to keep that stuff away from my various nether canyons.
#20
This is for my anemic girlies but to take iron supplements with vitamin C to help with absorption!
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
This is true! But only for "non-heme" iron. Fortunately, that's the type of iron found in most supplements. The best vitamin C supplement to pair with iron is one that includes citrus bioflavonoids, not just vitamin C.
#21
Extremely hot baths are not good for u occasional baths and mostly showers are better for feminine hygiene.
#22
Wiggling your toes helps with discomfort during an exam
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
If I'm ever experiencing a lot of pain during any sort of medical procedure or exam, I bite down on one of my knuckles. It's very acutely painful and takes my mind off of the other pain, plus I (weirdly) feel like I have more "control" over the bite pain, so it's less awful psychologically? I guess my dad was right when he used to joke that he'd make my minor childhood injuries "hurt less" by hitting my big toe with a hammer XD
#23
Regular STD panels don’t include testing for HPV, you have to request it so you could have it but never know until you specifically request it to be included.
#24
Herpes isn’t automatically tested for even if you say “I want a full panel” because 1. It’s so common and 2. You can’t get a positive swab unless you’re having an outbreak. Ask for a blood test, it will show positive if you’re positive and have had at least one outbreak or negative if you don’t have it.
#27
If you're having waves of severe pain and vomiting significantly above your baseline, call your gyno immediately. could mean an urgent care or er visit. ovarian torsion is no joke and it can be intermittent, potentially not showing up on the first ultrasound if you're not currently in pain.
#28
Tubal ligation isn't 100% foolproof. As many as 3% of patients still get pregnant. My OB had 1 woman at age 48 and one at age 54... both had tubes tied many years before and both got pregnant anyway. Just something else to be worried about
#29
Don’t pee before an ultrasound. Even if you really need to. Apparently I had to have a full bladder to do an ultrasound for endo. (I was 16, 21 now) also drink lots of water on your period. My gyno was very adamant on that lol.
David Paterson 29 minutes ago
They recommend 1 litre one hour before. Don't overdo it or drink it too early or late. This is one instruction that it's necessarily to be precise about.
#30
Feel like it's pretty basic knowledge but that prenatals are great to take whether you're pregnant or not
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 hours ago
Apparently they are referring to pre natal vitamins? And you really should always consult a doctor before assuming they are safe to take. There are some vitamins that are actually not harmless if your body doesn’t need it. Some are soluable and will pass in urine, but some are not and can actually be risky.
#31
Raspberry tea for period pain. Two cups a day with three tea bags for each cup
#32
If you’re having sharp pains in your breasts stop drinking caffeinated drinks and start taking vitamin E it will clear that right up
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
Vitamin E is one of the "fat-soluble" vitamins, which means you don't "pee it out" the way you do with Vitamin C and Vitamin B. Vit E can build up in the body tissues and liver if you take too much of it, and this can lead to serious toxicity called hypervitaminosis. This can be very dangerous, so if you are taking Vitamins E, A, or K, please check with your doctor and ONLY take your recommended dose. Do NOT take more than the recommended dose for these three vitamins, as they are all fat-soluble and overdosing can lead to hypervitaminosis.
#33
I learned this working in the OB/GYN clinic!
If you’re prone to getting BV. Those medication’s are just a Band-Aid.. your body just produces more bacteria than usual that throws off your pH. Taking probiotics daily can prevent that.
#34
"the majority of the problems women's have comes from a man"...
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
I mean, if you're talking about my biological father, whose spérm fertilized the egg that then turned into me, then yes, this is true, since I wouldn't have all my problems if I hadn't been born :p
#35
Any liquid soap contains preservatives which are usually antibacterial which can increase the chance of yeast infections due to biome imbalance. Only use bar soap, like Dove, unscented, on the external only.
#36
Stop eating junk! Stop sugar and sugary things and stuff like that, don’t eat chocolate a lot and work out! Basically everything is about what you consume and how your lifestyle is, having a kitkat a day wasn’t a good idea….also, herbal tea is the best! I cannot stress this enough but herbal tea is the best, and say no to caffeine cause it’s really really bad for you…once or even four times a month is fine but that’s it
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 hour ago
Please check the safety of the herbs in the tea before you start drinking tons of it. Not all herbs are benign and many contain various phytochemicals that can cause harm if you ingest too much of them.
#37
Superficial endometriosis often does not show up in imaging but can still cause catastrophic pain and bleeding, if your GYN says you don’t have it because it doesn’t show up on ultrasound or MRI fire them and see a specialist.
Maartje 1 hour ago
This post puzzles me. I had endometriosis when I was young and I see there are many ways they can determine this now, and I agree just imaging can be insufficient to exclude. Did they exclude everything else though since this is surely not the only reason you might have symptoms? Is the patient being sent away with no diagnosis? If so, yes, see another doctor.
#38
Check your testosterone levels after 50.
Bored Jellyfish 1 hour ago
THIS. Post-menopausal- I am on low-dose testosterone, and it cleared up my brain fog and I feel more energetic. 👍
#39
Perimenopause can start as early as 35years old
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 hour ago
When's mine? I'm waiting! XD I will take menopause over my still-heavy, still-painful periods any day XD
#41
A suspicious/malignan tumor on your breasts will feel hard, “pointy edges” with no clear start and finish
#42
Stop shaving and waxing. That hair is there for a reason.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 2 hours ago
I hate any kind of "policing" over whether a woman should or shouldn't or can or can't have hair where she wants to, or doesn't want to, as the case may be. I get waxed in my nether regions every 8-10 weeks, not for a man (what man? haha) but for myself. I don't like how gross the hair gets/feels when I'm on my period, so I remove the hair. I don't have UTIs every 5 seconds. If you take care of the area (and don't overshave/overwax), there's nothing wrong or inherently dangerous to removing the hair.
#43
Naproxen is the best this for pain radiating directly from the ovaries.
#44
Not having biological children can lead to an increased risk of breast cancer.
Lady Gypsy Rain 2 hours ago
This sounds like misogyny and lies told to women to prevent declining birth rates.
#45
Breastmilk actually harms babies teeth in the long run. I learned that my daughter is 10 and we’re still dealing with some of those issues from breast-feeding.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 hour ago
Absolutely not true. This is absolute bullshít. Modern humans would all be deád if this were true, as none of us would survive childhood to reach reproductive age. Breastmilk actually helps reduce harmful bacteria, and is significantly less erosive than sucrose or infant formula. Obviously if you have to formula-feed, it's fine, but claiming that breastmilk is harmful to teeth is ludicrous. If OP means prolonged breastfeeding past the normal weaning age, like after the child's full set of baby teeth have emerged, there's some truth to that, as the lactose in breastmilk can be metabolized into acids. But again, this is caused by streptococcus mutans bacteria in the baby's mouth, not "breastmilk" as OP claims.
What do you think ?
Maartje 1 hour ago
People, please do not claim to be a doctor just so you can spew your untested, unfounded beliefs out here.
David Paterson 29 minutes ago (edited)
And "doctor of philosophy" doesn't count.
Load More Replies... Maartje 1 hour ago
People, please do not claim to be a doctor just so you can spew your untested, unfounded beliefs out here.
David Paterson 29 minutes ago (edited)
And "doctor of philosophy" doesn't count.
Load More Replies...
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