Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Pelvic Exam

Definition

A pelvic examination is a routine procedure used to assess the well being of the female patients' lower genito-urinary tract. This is done as part of a usual health screening and prevention tool, and is an element of the total health care for the female patient.

Purpose

Pelvic exams are useful as a screening tool for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, genital warts, herpes, and syphilis. In addition, exams detect some forms of cancer that may affect the genitalia. By analyzing the cervical region with a Papanicolaou or...