Should pelvic exams be included in women's yearly physicals?
A controversy is brewing about that subject among two doctors' groups.
The American College of Physicians (ACP), whose members are internists, recently recommended that doctors stop performing pelvic exams during routine checkups on healthy women.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), on the other hand, has reasserted the importance of regular pelvic examinations. The outcome of the disagreement could influence primary-care medical practice and affect insurance coverage decisions.
A clinical practice guideline developed by the ACP – published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine – recommends against performing pelvic examination in asymptomatic, non-pregnant adult women. The guideline is based on a review of published research articles on the effectiveness of pelvic examination from 1946 through January 2014. The physician's group evaluated outcomes that include death, co-existing medical conditions, over-diagnosis, over-treatment, fear, anxiety, embarrassment, pain and discomfort.
Source: http://ift.tt/1k1Huix
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