This is a sponsored conversation written by me with support from Hologic, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.

Let’s talk about sex.
 
Not here. Not now. But when we’re at our next gynecological exam.

I know, I know…. many of us would rather talk about that latest episode of NBC’s This Is Us or mutter something like: “It’s really cold out today, huh?” than talk about our sex lives - or lack thereof - to the medical professional about to exam our hoo-ha. In fact, a new national survey exploring women’s sentiments from the stirrups says that about a quarter of us would prefer to talk about either of those topics than our sex lives - or our reproductive and gynecological health, for that matter.

We’re all familiar with the experience. We enter the exam room, take a quick look at the stirrups, and wonder if we should have considered getting a bikini wax for the occasion. (By the way, about 10% of women do!)

We may feel slightly comforted by the fact that we took extra time and care in the shower that morning. The survey says that on average, we spend an additional seven minutes bathing in preparation for the appointment. And as we were getting dressed, 85 percent of us had the appointment on our mind when we opened our panty drawer. And 80 percent of us decided to slip on our least-ugly pair of granny panties instead of our prettier lingerie.



Of course, debating on which panties to wear to the gynecologist’s office is ironic considering that the same number of us who choose granny panties also hide our underwear when we undress for the exam.

Wait! Before we get undressed down to the bare minimum, 79 percent of us are thinking: Should I go to the bathroom before the doctor or nurse practitioner walks in? What if I have to go the second I’m asked to scoot down into the stirrups? Gosh, just thinking about having to go is making me have to go!

OK. We went.

Now we continue with the disrobing and focus on the robe-ing. Hmmm. Which way does this gown go on? Should it open in the back (55% think it does) or front (45%)?  Either way, 20% of us are thinking we could totally improve this thing with a few accessories.
 
OK, climbing onto the exam table now, we may be thinking: Feels warm enough in here but my feet may get cold in the stirrups… Let me grab those puppies before anyone walks into the room. Indeed, four-in-five of us decide to keep our socks on.



So many details to think about and the doc or nurse isn’t even in the exam room yet! Am I right, ladies? Every little detail is well-planned and considered. Well, that is, except too often, the most important ones. We don’t prepare our questions for our health care provider, or prepare ourselves to ask the questions.

While 3-in-5 of women answered the survey saying that if they were at the exam now, they would cut right to the chase, announcing why we are there, and 86 percent of us said we were likely to ask for more information about the tests being conducted, the survey findings tell a different tale.

Most of us don’t cut to the chase or ask for more information. Among women in their 30s, for example, only 42 percent bring up their sex life. Look, as much as we want to believe we are going to have important conversations with our health care provider about what matters most like, cervical cancer screening, most of us don’t.



Cervical cancer screening is one of the most important routine screenings a woman needs throughout her adult life. And for women ages 30 to 65, it’s critical that we ask for a Pap test and an HPV test – also known as Pap+HPV Together. It’s no more invasive to be screened for both tests than it is for one; your medical professional uses one swab for both. It’s vital that you ask your health care provider for Pap+HPV Together because these tests detect more cancer and pre-cancer than either test used alone. (For women ages 21-29, current medical practice guidelines recommend the Pap test alone.)

You know through my work with Otherhood: Modern Women Finding a New Kind of Happiness, that I’m an advocate for reproductive health. Now – and especially during Cervical Health Awareness Month - I want you to be your own advocates for your gynecological health.

Let’s be honest. Many of us have a lot of different sentiments while in the stirrups. Even the word “stirrups” can stir up uncomfortable sentiments. But now is the time, at your annual appointment, to talk with your health care provider about cervical cancer screenings - and if you’re over 30, to ask for Pap+HPV Together.

And please don’t let the fear of testing positive for HPV deter you from getting screened. Most women don’t realize that 60 percent of us test positive for HPV at some point in our adult lives. And the positive test result does not mean we are pre-cancerous or have cervical cancer. In fact, in most cases, like any virus, the Human Papilloma Virus goes away on its own.

But sometimes, it does not go away on its own. And that’s why it’s imperative that you talk with to your health care provider and ask questions about Pap+HPV Together. The simple truth is that early detection can save your life.

I’ll say it again: You can save your own life by asking your health care provider for Pap+HPV Together.

OK, now that that’s over with, put your granny panties back on and we can go back to talking about the weather. Yes, it is cold out today! Good thing you kept your socks on.


For more information about cervical cancer screening with Pap+HPV Together, visit HealthyWomen.org.

Published: January 11, 2017