A visit to the gynecologist isn't just an essential part of your health routine. It's an opportunity for anyone who has a cervix, vagina or ovaries to ask questions about their reproductive health, from painful periods to a decreased libido. If talking to your provider about this kind of stuff makes you feel shy or squeamish, you're not alone, says Dr.
Rachel Bervell . She's a physician with training in obstetrics and gynecology and the co-founder of The Black OBGYN Project . "I come from a strict immigrant household," she says.
"I never had the birds and the bees talk. I never had any of those types of conversations." Today, Bervell is much more outspoken about this topic — in fact, there's a viral video on Instagram of her talking about what happens during a pap smear .
.. at her family's Thanksgiving dinner.
You shouldn't be afraid to speak up, either — especially when your health is on the line, says Bervell. To give you an idea of what kinds of questions you can ask your provider, Bervell answers queries from our listeners. Whether you're a woman, trans or non-binary, this story is for you.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. I have terrible anxiety surrounding pap smears. Are there any changes I can make during a routine exam that gynecologists would be willing to accommodate? Sometimes anxiety is because of a bad experience, whether that's conditions like vaginismus [an involuntary tensing of the vagina] or other pain, or because of prior [sexual].
