Reference Manual - IARC Screening Group

APPENDIX GPERFORMING BREAST AND PELVICEXAMINATIONS 1INTRODUCTIONHaving regular breast and pelvic examinations is an important part ofimproving every woman’s health. They can help identify problems beforea woman has any symptoms and provide an opportunity for earlytreatment or prevention (e.g., breast or cervical cancer). Theseexaminations also give the healthcare provider the opportunity to talkwith the woman about her health and allow appropriate counseling if herlifestyle puts her health at risk. For example, if during an examination theprovider finds that a woman has multiple sex partners, she should becounseled about the risk of this behavior and advised to use a condomduring sexual intercourse. In addition, having regular breast and pelvicexaminations helps the woman to learn about her body. Finally,healthcare providers often need to perform pelvic examinations beforethey give some family planning methods (e.g., IUD) in order to be surethe method is appropriate for the woman.PURPOSE• To look at the breasts and check for differences in shape or size orother abnormalities• To check the lower abdomen and groin for abnormalities• To look at the external genitalia and check the Bartholin’s andSkene’s glands for discharge• To look at the vagina and cervix for infection, tears or otherabnormalities (e.g., polyps, cancer)• To check the pelvic organs (uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries) forinfection and abnormalities1 Adapted from: Schaefer L, N McIntosh and A Blouse (eds). 2000. Guidelines for Performing Breast and PelvicExaminations. JHPIEGO: Baltimore, Maryland.Cervical Cancer Prevention Guidelines for Low-Resource Settings G-1