Med Students Still Do Pelvic Exams on Women Under Anesthesia

A quote from @Sasha 's link:

Well, quite. the muscle tone of someone under anaesthetic will be very different so it won't really be what a normal exam would feel like for the doc either. A sedated or anaesthetized person isn't going to say: "Ow, that hurts! Which vet school are you from?" Are they?

My first experience at a gynae appointment was brutal. I have seen cows been treated more gently by vets (not exaggerating for effect). I was told this is going to be very uncomfortable and it really was. Even the nurse was wincing.

I considered complaining, but as I'd never been to a gynae before, I didn't know that wasn't normal or necessary. It was only when I had to go back and I had a choice of a different gynae that I realized how awful the first one had been.

 

Really sorry to hear about your awful experience, @Invisible Woman.

 

In some cases "Examined Under Anaesthetic" is mentioned in surgery notes with the acronym EUA. I have it in surgery notes of mine from the 1970s. It was actually reasonable at the time because I was in so much pain that I couldn't tolerate being examined before the surgery. I have often wondered whether I was used as a training aid for a whole class of students while I was under anaesthetic.

 

I can see the use for it, with permission from the patient. Did they ask you for consent?

 

No.

 

I’m so sorry

 

France, 2015 bans exams without consent:

https://www.thelocal.fr/20151029/france-bans-unconsented-vaginal-exams

France to ban vaginal exams without consent

 

I wonder if such bans have come into force in the US or the UK and are actually upheld and taken for granted. Somehow I doubt it.

 

Looks as if in the UK written consent is now required for pelvic examination by students under anaesthesia, this is from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Guidelines:

UKhttps://www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/clinical-governance-advice/cga6.pdf

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Obtaining Valid Consent
Clinical Governance Advice No. 6 January 2015

8. Training Explicit consent of women is required for the presence of students:

during gynaecological and obstetric consultations
in operating theatres as observers and assistants
performing clinical pelvic examination
written consent must be obtained for pelvic examination of anaesthetised women.

 

I have asked the German Ministry of Health about this. I hope I'll get a reply. I am absolutely shocked, and I agree that this is a form of sexual abuse.

Sometimes I can't believe what perverse ideas human beings can have.

 

That's so great, Inara, thanks for doing that. I look forward to hearing if/when you get a reply.

I wonder who one would write to in the US? Surgeon general's office?