Gynecological Exams

1. 84

   Pamela N Redposted 13 years ago

   It would be nice if when people ask a question you could answer it more than once. My reason is that sometimes a person gives a bad answer and someone needs to let the OP and anyone else who might be reading know that the advice is not good to follow.
   
   Recently someone asked a question about pap smears and if a person feels violated when they get them. One woman mentioned that she goes to a midwife so she doesn't have that issue.
   
   Here is the link:
   
   http://hubpages.com/question/122322/do- … swer291072
   
   A midwife is not a physician. They can deliver babies but have no authority or education in checking for cancer cells, STD's, cysts, tumors or any other number of conditions a woman may have.
   
   It worries me that this young woman feels comfortable seeing a midwife for her healthcare needs.

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   1. 0

      Deborah Sextonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      ___________________
      Sorry but you are wrong. Doctors don't diagnose disease either.
      
      No matter who does the pap smear, it is sent to the lab.
      
      Regardless how it looks , no diagnosis is made until samples are tested. A lot (almost all) Midwives do pap smears.

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      1. 84

         Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, doctors do diagnose disease, everyday.
         
         What education does a midwife have? Where I live they are simply women who deliver babies, some have a nursing degree but from what I have heard they don't even have to have that.
         
         I've never heard of midwives doing pap smears.

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         1. 0

            Deborah Sextonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            ____________
            I am a nurse and doctors do not diagnose. The lab does,
            
            Doctors diagnose the flu, Multiple Sclerosis,etc but when it comes to tumors or cells
            Dr's may say it looks like this but they will also tell you they have to wait till they get the lab report back after the cells have been studied by the Pathologist..
            Midwives just have to know how to do the pap smear. The lab will diagnose.
            
            Just because you haven't heard does not make it not so. Obviously you have never heard of the lab either.
            
            
            No need to reply because I'm done

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            1. 84

               Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               The people at the laboratory are doctors.

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            2. 77

               psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               The examination is not just for the smear (also for masses, infections etc), and the doctor interprets the test results.  Unless the midwife is also an MD or nurse practitioner they should not be doing this.

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               1. 0

                  Deborah Sextonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  ______________
                  
                  I'm a nurse myself..a Perioperative nurse, so I know who can do what.
                  
                  What I meant was the Midwife only does the pap smear and the Pathologist diagnoses.
                  
                  I was not saying that's all Midwifes do.
                  
                  A midwife is allowed to do a pap smear. Are you in the medical field?
                  
                  The Pathologist diagnoses and the doctor reads the report.

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2. 0

   Deborah Sextonposted 13 years ago

   Here, I found this for you.
   http://ehealthmd.com/library/papsmear/PAP_analyzes.html

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3. 0

   Deborah Sextonposted 13 years ago

   What a Midwife does. Go here and scroll past the Google ads.
   
   http://stason.org/TULARC/child-parent/m … es-Do.html
   
   Here is another link
   http://ezinearticles.com/?Nurse-Midwife … id=6217039
   
   Giving medical advice is against the law.
   
   (saying don't go to a midwife for a pap smear, is medical advice)

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   1. 84

      Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I would much rather have a person who has gone to medical school take care of my health than a midwife. If you feel comfortable putting your health in the hands of someone less qualified you certainly have that right.

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   2. 84

      Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      A midwife is just a nurse, not a doctor.
      
      http://www.allnursingschools.com/nursin … se-midwife

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      1. 0

         Deborah Sextonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         ____________
         Just a nurse?
         I got my MSN and I had to know as much as a doctor. It took me 6 years to get my degree.
         
         A pap smear is so easy a ten year old could do it.
         
         You've just got to be right huh?

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4. 77

   psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

   I am in a related field and know that not all midwives are nurses.  As I said, a midwife that is also a doctor or nurse (aka nurse-midwife) can do this.  A midwife that is not also a doctor or nurse cannot. And yes, in many countries including the US you can be a professional midwife without being a doctor or nurse (aka a lay midwife).

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   1. 84

      Pamela N Redposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      That's what I've read too. If a woman is confident she won't have any complications, I think it would be fine to let a midwife deliver her baby but I certainly wouldn't take medical advice from one.

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5. 0

   Deborah Sextonposted 13 years ago

   ____________________
   In the US you have to take a national examination and get certification to become a CPM

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   1. 77

      psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      But you don't have to have a CPM to go into business as a midwife--it is not a limited title like doctor or nurse are.

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6. 72

   akanga1posted 13 years ago

   I may be able to help in this debate seeing as I'm in this field. Practises vary by country. Here in the UK, smears are taken mainly by nurses but those who do are specially trained and certified in the specific skill. Most nurses cannot take smears because they do not have the training.  Midwives NEVER do smears. It is simply not their field. Pap (cervical) smear are a 'screening' test and therefore, strictly speaking, should not be looked at as a diagnostic test. If a woman has any symptoms she is concerned about, she will of course not see a nurse, not even one with pap-smear taking training. She will see a doctor as there is then a need for a diagnosis. That's outside a nurse's remit. I hope that helps but I am aware practises may be different in other parts of the world.

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7. 69

   Diane Insideposted 13 years ago

   where I live there are midwives at the hospital who work under a doctor, if they have problems or issues with patients the doctor is notified but the midwif is capable of doing pap smears as well as the doctor.
   
   In many cases I've seen the midwife do a better job at seeing the issues such as disease as the doctors, she then notifies the doctor of her suspisions who then comes in as needed for further testing and diagnoses.
   
   To me midwives do more than just deliver babies, they have a much more holistic approach to the patient.

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   1. 69

      Diane Insideposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      oh as for the issue of feeling violated or uncomfortable, I chose a female OB/GYN she does a great job at making me feel at ease.

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