A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that 54.4% of pelvic exams and 71.9% of Pap smears conducted in teen girls in the U.S. are potentially unnecessary and may expose women to preventable harm.[i]
While it’s clear that pelvic exams are an important screening procedure for cervical cancer, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the American Cancer Society both recommend that these screenings do not take place before the age of 21 unless a patient has symptoms of cervical cancer.[ii],[iii] Continue reading “Millions of Unnecessary Pelvic Exams Performed in Teens”