View source for A Book for Midwives:The pelvic exam

{{bctrail|segments=3|chaptitle=Chapter 20: The Pelvic Exam: how to examine a woman's vagina and womb}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:The pelvic exam}}
{{SideSupplement|bookabbreviation=abfm|pagealt=is from page 375 of|chapterpdf=http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_midw_2021/en_midw_2021_20.pdf|bookurl=A Book for Midwives|booktitle=A Book for Midwives}}
{{chaptertoc|In this chapter:|
<ul class{{=}}"noprint">
<li>[[A Book for Midwives:Chapter 20: The Pelvic Exam: how to examine a woman's vagina and womb|Chapter 20: The Pelvic Exam: how to examine a woman's vagina and womb]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:When to do a pelvic exam|When to do a pelvic exam]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:Before the exam|Before the exam]]</li>
<li>[[A Book for Midwives:The pelvic exam|The pelvic exam]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:The visual exam|The visual exam]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:The speculum exam|The speculum exam]]</li>
<li>[[A Book for Midwives:Cancer of the cervix|Cancer of the cervix]]</li>
  <li>[[A Book for Midwives:The bimanual exam (2-hand exam)|The bimanual exam (2-hand exam)]]</li>
</ul>}}

'''Before you start:'''
* Make sure that you have privacy.
* Prepare all the tools you will need for the exam:<br>
<table width="100%" style="line-height:110%;">
<tr align="center" valign="top">
<td>''clean or sterile<br>speculum''</td>
<td>''clean or sterile <br>plastic gloves''</td>
<td>''light''</td>
<td>''mirror''</td>
<td>''clean cloths for<br> wiping after the exam ''</td></tr>
<tr valign="top">
<td>[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-1.png|left|90px]]</td>
<td>[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-2.png|center|90px]]</td>
<td>[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-3.png|center|90px]]</td>
<td>[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-4.png|center|75px]]</td>
<td>[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-5.png|center|90px]]</td></tr>
</table>
The speculum and gloves should be sterile if you are doing a pelvic exam to insert an IUD or to do an MVA. Otherwise, a very clean speculum is OK.
<div style="position:relative; width: 250px; height: 250px; float: right;">[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-6.png|right|250px]]</div>
* Ask the woman to urinate before the exam. This will make the exam more comfortable for her. 
* Ask the woman to remove her pants or pull up her skirt. If she wants something to cover her legs, give her a sheet or cloth. 
* Ask her to lie on her back with her knees up and her buttocks at the end of the table or bed. 

<div style="position:relative; width: 120px; height: 90px; float: left;">[[Image:MW_Ch20_Page_376-7.png|left|90px]]</div>
* Wash your hands with clean water and soap. Your fingernails should be short and clean. 
* Put clean plastic gloves on your hands.
{{clr}}
<br>

{{Previous and next sections|Before the exam|The visual exam}}


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