To Shave, Or Not to Shave, Downstairs

Attitudes toward pubic hair grooming have, well, grown throughout the ages. Brazilian? Natural bush? A neatly trimmed triangle or abstract geometrics? These days it seems you can do just about anything with your pubic hair—but should you? And if so, how? 

Understanding the Importance of Pubic Hair

Before you decide to remove even a single hair, let’s look at why they’re down there in the first place. Most medical professionals will tell you something similar. “It provides a cushion against friction that may cause skin injury, prevents dirt and bacteria from entering the vagina, and can help to spread pheromones [the chemicals we excrete to entice potential partners] and reduce heat loss,” Mamta Mamik, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said at SELF. 

In general, pubic hair can serve a similar function to eyelashes or nose hair by trapping potentially harmful microorganisms and protecting delicate tissue. In addition, as Healthline points out, hair follicles produce sebum, an oil that prevents bacteria from reproducing. As a result, some believe pubic hair may help protect you from some STIs and STDs, though a few small studies contradict this theory.

In general, however, pubic hair is there for a reason — to protect your vagina from harm.  

How Dirty Is It?

You may come across opinions that having pubic hair might be “unhygienic,” which is certainly not a unique perception. 

“The Greeks and Egyptians idealized hairless bodies. Shaving and epilation techniques were commonly used . . .,” a 2013 article in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology explains. “This was generally felt to be a result of common infestations of body hair with parasites and the sense that a body without hair was cleaner.” 

While it’s true that body hair can help absorb extra sweat (and possibly bacteria)—even “down there,” thanks to easy access to clean water and seemingly more soap and cleansing products than there are soap bubbles, modern women needn’t be as concerned as ancient Egyptians or Greeks about hygiene. 

As SELF magazine puts it simply: “Bottom line: If you’re clean, your pubes will be, too. If you’re not, a Brazilian isn’t going to help you.”

The Straight on Using a Razor

As a 2019 study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates, nowadays pubic hair removal “seems strongly associated with personal, partner-related, sexual, and relational factors.” Personal aesthetic preference and comfort may also come into play. 

If trimming, shaping, or removing your pubic hair is of interest to you, discuss the health pros and cons with your own gynecologist. They can help explain the safety and risks of the two most popular methods: shaving vs. waxing, including the dangers of cuts, skin damage, folliculitis, or other infections.

If you must shave, there are ways to do it right, as Anna Klepchukova, MD, Chief Science Officer at Flo recommends: “To make the shaving process more effective and minimize irritation, first exfoliate your skin with a scrub. Use creams with natural moisturizing elements (e.g., aloe). Don’t use anyone else’s razor, and shave the hair in the direction of its growth. Finish up by rubbing your skin with an ice cube to close pores. Then, in half an hour, moisturize with a lotion.”

At Covington Women’s Health Specialists, we want to help keep your pubic hair and everything else both happy and healthy. Arrange an appointment with us online or call 770-385-8954.

Covington Women’s Health Specialists Sponsors and Speaks Out at Pink-Out Concert

On October 1, 2021, Covington Women’s Health Specialists had the honor of sponsoring the Pink-Out Concert, a free performance for everyone to enjoy at Legion Field. The annual Pink-Out Concert is put on by the Community Arts Association in Newton County to encourage community support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month every October.

Ruby Velle & The Soulphonics had a terrific performance! After Ruby belted out a dozen tunes while dancing around the stage, she told us that she had a baby a few weeks ago! What a strong and talented woman!

Dr. Cathy Larrimore, Terri Terry (surgical assistant), Whitney Mitchell (medical secretary) and Bailey Stewart (medical assistant) had the opportunity to attend and see around 300 guests, including current patients. Our practice donated a Lightbox pink diamond necklace to the event’s fundraising raffle that benefited the HOPE Boutique of the Women’s Diagnostic Center.

Dr. Larrimore had the opportunity to speak and discussed the importance of mammograms and pap smears for patients. Here are some highlights from Dr. Larrimore’s words at the event:

  1. Because it is a lifesaving tool, a screening mammogram is the ONLY test that a patient can schedule for themself without a doctor’s order.  If you, a family member, or a friend is due for a mammogram or are over age 40 and have never had one, please spread the word about getting this important test!
  2. Pap smears are still important! Don’t think that you don’t need a Pap because that’s what you read in a fashion magazine or heard on the news!  Please come in for a screening GYN exam at our office or your own GYN, and discuss your personal GYN care with a women’s health provider!
  3. Bleeding after menopause is a cancer warning sign! After menopause, periods are abnormal! Please call your GYN if you have bleeding after menopause or if your periods “re-start.”
  4. EVEN if you have “had everything removed,” you still need a GYN! Primary peritoneal cancer is a rare cancer that can occur in women,(even if their ovaries have been removed!) and in men. This rare cancer mimics ovarian cancer. So, EVERYBODY needs to know these vague symptoms:
  • Early feeling of fullness after eating, feeling bigger around the middle
  • Bloating and when severe, nausea and vomiting may result
  • Urgency of urination or changes in urinary habits
  • Changes in bowel habits
  • Unexplained back pain
  • Abdominal pain

If you think most of these symptoms are gastrointestinal rather than GYN in nature, you are right! In addition to calling your regular doctor or your GI for an appointment, please call your GYN, too! Months can be lost if you only focus on the GI tract.

Make an appointment with Covington Women’s Health Specialists today.

Sex Health Series: The Key to Great Sex? Great (and Healthy) Communication

“Though talking about sex can feel a little scary,” pros at the American Sexual Health Association acknowledge, “it can also be incredibly sexy, even if you both have your clothes on.” 

Healthy communication not only conveys accurate information but as Steven Benbow at Awkward Silence reminds us, it can also:

  • Give you a sense of growth and challenge
  • Spark ideas and motivation
  • Provide affirmation
  • Increase your attractiveness
  • Heal and repair arguments
  • And — perhaps most importantly —create connection.

When it comes to sex, good communication will also help you feel confident, safe, respected, and secure.  

Prepare Your Speech

Most sex-related topics aren’t necessarily the kind you should address just as you’re getting undressed. “Think about [subjects] ahead of time, and discuss them with a partner when you are not currently in a sexual mood,” advises IWannaKnow: Sexual Health For Teens and Young Adults. It’ll be far easier to talk about condoms, for example, well before one of you is ready to put one on.  

Categories to Consider Addressing up Front

Pleasures & Desires

You can’t always get what you want, but talking about it may get you closer. Clear communication with yourself about what you like and want will make it much easier to convey your desires to your partner(s) when the time comes. Consider exploring on your own with safe sex toys for a boost in this department. 

STI Safety

Though you may be shy about sharing about sexually transmitted infections (STI) — both your own test results and how to protect against infection — STIs are far more common than you think. We shared some advice about breaking STI stigma because conversations around STIs can be one of the best methods of protection. 

Birth Control

“Having a conversation with your partner about birth control is a good way to learn of [their] interest in participating in the process, which can also be an opportunity to assess if [they are] a good choice as a sexual partner,” remind the birth control contributors of Our Bodies Our Selves. If you’re uneasy talking together about the prevention of parenthood, what might happen should you become parents? 

Boundaries & Consent

Similar to knowing what you want and desire, knowing where your firm limits are will help establish a healthy sexual relationship. First, be honest with yourself about your boundaries. Next, take the time to communicate about them with your partner (before anything happens).  For a quick and easy way to bow out at any time, you and your partner might consider establishing a safe word together. 

How To

Still feeling tongue-tied? The American Sexual Health Association has an abundance of tips that will help you start (and continue) a positive conversation about your passions. Don’t forget that communication doesn’t have to simply be about sex, either. Dirty talk can also heighten the experience and your connection. 

We at Covington Women’s Health Specialists are dedicated to your entire well-being — sexual and otherwise. For more personalized advice and conversation, book an appointment with us online, or call 770-385-8954.

Third Time’s the Charm: A Patient’s Experience Delivering Her Third Child

Mother-of-three and local restaurant owner Sasha Stone understands the impact of creating a balance between the allure of a big city with the comforts of community. At her family’s restaurant, City Pharmacy, Sasha and her husband strive to create a place “Where Friends Meet” through a unique setting that honors the history of Covington while highlighting a unique, fresh dining experience. 

When Sasha had a preference of where to deliver her third child, Birdie, it is no surprise she selected the personalized and high-quality care provided by the local birthing experts at Covington Women’s Health Specialists. Sasha’s understanding of the value of neighborhood support and community at City Pharmacy enabled her to appreciate the sincerity and compassion of Dr. Meridith Farrow, an OB/GYN with Covington Women’s Health Specialists. As a doctor and patient who both hail from Covington, their bond deepened because of their common experiences as local community members. Sasha received exceptionally attentive and individualized care from Dr. Farrow during emergency surgery and her third pregnancy. She will never forget it.

When Sasha first married, she and her husband lived close to downtown Atlanta. She became pregnant with her first baby, Moody, shortly after they had relocated back to Covington to be closer to family.

“I had been living in the city so I went to a hospital in the city to deliver my son. I thought I needed to deliver at a big, city hospital in order to be comfortable and safe,” Sasha said. “It wasn’t a bad experience, but it was definitely not a personalized or unique experience.” 

As Sasha neared her due date, her doctor encouraged her to consider inducing labor. While this was not necessarily the birth plan she had in mind, she admits that she hadn’t thought too much about a birth plan so she deferred to her obstetrician.

“About an hour after they induced labor, my heart rate and my baby’s heart rate dropped,” Sasha remembers. “They changed the medication they were giving me and I went on to labor for another seven hours before my labor stalled. After 10 hours, the doctor came in to talk to me about doing a C-section.”

Before moving to a C-section, Sasha asked if she could try to deliver naturally. Her doctor agreed to let her try, but the baby’s heart rate dropped, again, and she was immediately taken into surgery.

“It moved so fast, within 15 minutes, I was in the operating room and they were delivering Moody,” Sasha said. “I was so happy that he was safe and healthy, but still a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to deliver him naturally.”

Six months after her son was born, Sasha discovered she was again pregnant. Since it was so soon after delivering Moody, she returned to her physician in Atlanta for prenatal care. However, through her work at the restaurant, Sasha had met local OB/GYN, Meridith Farrow, M.D., and they had become friends.

As it got closer to Sasha’s due date, she and Dr. Farrow discussed Sasha’s scheduled C-section and her disappointment in not being able to deliver her second son, Hyde, naturally. Dr. Farrow encouraged Sasha to talk to her physician about attempting vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), but when she asked her doctor about it, he told her he did not perform that type of delivery.  

“I wasn’t thrilled that I was having another C-section, but I also knew that there were risks, so I didn’t push the issue,” Sasha said. “But, I do remember wondering why he wouldn’t at least take the time to talk to me about my options and what I was thinking about like Dr. Farrow was doing, and I wasn’t her patient! It was then that I finally understood what I had felt during Moody’s delivery and now this baby’s…rushed. I felt like the hospital and the doctors were on a schedule and needed to move things along to make room for the next patient. They were very kind and considerate, but there was a lack of warmth due to the rate at which they were moving me through the process.”

Local Comfort

A year and a half later, the Stones decided they wanted to add to their family. Sasha became pregnant, but within a few weeks began to have bleeding that caused her alarm. Although she and Dr. Farrow had a deep friendship, Sasha was not her patient, so she called her Atlanta doctor’s office. The doctor spoke with her over the phone and diagnosed her as having a chemical pregnancy, sometimes called an early miscarriage, which is a pregnancy where a fertilized egg does not fully implant in the uterus.

“Although I wasn’t very far along in the pregnancy, it made us sad that I had miscarried,” Sasha remembers. “But, with two boys under the age of four at home, I knew how blessed I was and that the sadness would pass.”

A week later, Sasha’s bleeding had not subsided and was continuing to worsen. She was out of town when she began to experience terrible abdominal cramps that left her unable to walk. She was finally able to reach an on-call physician with her Atlanta doctor’s office who told her to go to the closest emergency room.

Scared and in tremendous pain, she called her friend, Dr. Farrow. After speaking with Sasha and the ER physician, Dr. Farrow ordered Sasha to be transferred and admitted to our local hospital, Piedmont Newton Hospital.

Dr. Farrow quickly discovered that Sasha had an ectopic pregnancy that had ruptured and that she needed emergency surgery. Prior to going into surgery, Dr. Farrow spoke with Sasha about the risks and possible outcomes. Knowing that the Stones wanted more children, Dr. Farrow said she would do everything she could to save the ovary but that she couldn’t make promises.

“Even though I was in a situation that was serious enough to require emergency surgery, Dr. Farrow and other members of the staff took the time to talk to me, answer my questions, and make sure that I was comfortable with the plan of care,” Sasha said. “They displayed so much compassion and care for me and my husband.”

Sasha’s surgery was successful and Dr. Farrow was able to save her ovary. She recovered well and, a short time later, was able to get pregnant again. This time, there was no doubt in her mind who would be taking care of her and her baby, Dr. Farrow with Covington Women’s Health Specialists. During this pregnancy, Sasha found great comfort knowing she could rely on Dr. Farrow and have a positive birthing experience at a local hospital.

The pregnancy progressed smoothly and Sasha scheduled her C-section, but a week before she was scheduled to deliver, she began having contractions. When she got to the hospital, she told the nurses about her scheduled C-section, but she was admitted to a regular labor and delivery room until she could be examined by Dr. Farrow.

Confirming that Sasha was in active labor, Dr. Farrow asked if Sasha wanted to attempt to deliver via vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). She knew that Sasha had wanted to have her other children naturally, and wanted to give her the opportunity to do so safely. They agreed that Sasha would try to deliver naturally, but that Dr. Farrow would halt everything and move her to the OR if there were any issues. Fifteen minutes later, Birdie Stone, the Stone family’s third child and only daughter, was born. 

“I was overcome with emotion,” Sasha said. “Our daughter was perfect and beautiful and there were no complications. Once I had time to reflect on things, I was just so grateful that Dr. Farrow approached my pregnancy and delivery with an open mind and really took the time to understand what was important to me.”

Covington Women’s Health Specialists provides the balance of high-quality clinical care with the comforts of local service.

“You think you have to go into Atlanta to have a good experience, but, in fact, by doing so you are missing out on having the best, most personal experience,” Sasha said. “There is no better care than local care and having everything you need right next door. The doctors and staff at Piedmont Newton want for you what is important to you. They want to make you feel like family.”

Are you an expecting mother looking for family-like OB/GYN care? We’re happy to help. To learn more about the Covington Women’s Health Specialists experience, please call 770-385-8954 to speak to our team, or click here.

Gynecology 101: Things You May Not Know About Your Vagina

If you have one, we certainly hope you know what its purpose is. What it looks like. And when something’s going wrong with it. 

But even we can admit that when it comes to vaginas, there may be some mystery involved. Which is why we’re here to help you understand yours better.

1. Really, it’s your vulva.

Though the word “vagina” is often used to refer to a woman’s entire “down there” region, “vulva is actually the correct term for all of the external organs, including the mons pubis (pubic mound), the labia majora and minora, the all-important clitoris, the external openings of the urethra (a.k.a, the hole you pee from) and the vagina,” HuffPost explains. You may personally prefer to use the word “vagina” in reference to what’s really your vulva — we just want to make sure you know exactly what you’re talking about.  

2. It’s okay if it looks different. 

Labia majora (outer lips) and labia minora (inner lips) can look very different from body to body. Nine different types have been broken down by The Tab, including those with curved outer lips, small closed lips, and asymmetrical inner lips, but it’s certainly possible there are even more variations. Whatever yours looks like, keeping it healthy and feeling good is the main key! 

3. It sweats!

Absolutely, groin sweating is normal. Sweat comes from the two types of sweat glands located throughout your body: eccrine and apocrine. Apocrine glands are the ones located around your vulva — connected to the surrounding hair follicles there. 

In all mammals, apocrine sweat glands secrete a fluid containing pheromone-like compounds which attract the opposite sex, and in humans, they aren’t active before puberty. Their activity is driven by adrenaline, which means stress, sexual stimulation, anxiety, pain and fright might exacerbate them. 

If you’re bothered by excessive sweating (or odor), have a conversation with your gynecologist to explore possible solutions. 

4. It doesn’t have a cherry.

Instead, it has a hymen: a thin piece of skin that stretches across part of the opening to the vagina. That is, if you’re born with one (which not everyone is). Rather than “popping” during the first experience of penetrative sex, it may stretch, or even tear a bit. (This may also happen if you’re injured by falling in a particular way on something like the edge of a bathtub, fence, monkey bars, or chair.) But you may be surprised to learn that in many cases, it stays intact.

5. It deepens and changes color when you’re aroused.

Normally, the vagina (and in this case, we really mean vagina, not vulva) is somewhere between 3 to 6 inches long, and 1 to 2.5 inches wide. “After arousal,” Healthline explains, the upper portion of the vagina elongates, pushing the cervix and uterus slightly deeper into your body to make room for penetration.” Because of the rush of blood that happens when you’re turned on, the color of your skin and tissue in that area can also appear darker. 

There’s a lot more to know about both your vulva and your vagina, and at Covington Women’s Health Specialists we want to help answer your questions, sort fact from fiction, and keep it all healthy. Book an appointment online or call 770-385-8954 to address and solve any and all of your vagina mysteries.

Back to School: How to Talk to Your Teen About Sex

This school year, your teen may have more on their mind other than hitting the books. While you may not have proof, you could suspect that they may be sexually active. 

At Covington Women’s Health Specialists, we want to help both parents and teens have good conversations that lead to well-informed decisions. 

Start at the Very Beginning

Teach boys and girls as they grow up about the parts of the body, how these body parts work, and that they are always in charge of consent. These steps can help ease you all into sex health conversations as they age.

If you’re behind in this department, arm yourself with information. Resources such as Planned Parenthood, The Center for Parent and Teen Communication, Stanford Children’s Health, and our own blog about the importance of overcoming STD stigma can offer both education and encouragement.

Remember you don’t have to tackle the entire complexity of human sexuality (disease protection, birth control, consent, masturbation, etc.) all at once. Start with the facts, and build from there. 

Face Your Fears

You might hesitate to discuss sex with your teen, and Educate Empower Kids has some guesses as:

  • Having your own issues around sex
  • Worrying you’ll destroy their innocence
  • Suspecting that talking about it will encourage it
  • Being hesitant about alienating them
  • Feeling it’s plain old awkward and embarrassing for both of you

Certainly, you both may encounter that brief, awkward moment where you’re imagining the other one “doing it”, but these discomforts are far less serious than facing pregnancy, an STI, or sexual abuse together. 

Do what you need on your own to come to grips with your emotions, first. Then practice “the talk” with a trusted friend, partner, or family member to help you gain confidence and control. 

Focus on Their Feelings 

“The easiest way to start is to be real with your adolescent: ‘This is really hard for me to talk about . . .’” recommends Warren Seigel, M.D., FAAP, Director of Adolescent Medicine at Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, N.Y. “‘But it’s important to talk about, and we have to talk about embarrassing things sometimes.’” 

Acknowledging their awkwardness (and yours) may help minimize it all together. 

After that, let your teen be your guide. Ask open questions about what they’ve heard, seen, and are curious about. Listen to their answers, answer them honestly, and be responsive to their feelings before jumping in with yours. 

Also keep in mind that your teen may not have the same sexual orientation you do.  “Be clear that your love is unconditional: that you will always love, support and accept them, and that they can talk to you about anything,” Reach Out recommends. 

No matter how they feel, come back to the conversation from time to time. Even if you both consider the first talk a success, conditions can change and new questions arise at the click of a text or link.

Healthy sex and healty relationships are important to us at Covington Women’s Health Specialists. For more guidance on talking to your teen about sex, or to arrange an appointment for them, connect with us online or call 770-385-8954.

Support and Attend These Local Events for Great Causes

At Covington Women’s Health Specialists, we have been providing women’s healthcare to our community for over 17 years. We love our local community and are excited to share two upcoming events to support two great local causes.

On Thursday, August 26, Atlanta Redemption Ink will be hosting a comedy night with award-winning comedian and actor, Bone Hampton, and hosted by award-winning dry bar comedian, Lisa Mills. Tickets are $10 presale and $15 at the door.

Atlanta Redemption Ink is a survivor-led nonprofit that provides tattoo coverups, removals and support services to survivors of sex trafficking, gangs, former self-harmers and addicts.

The Covington Police Department’s 38th Annual Fuzz Run, presented by Covington Women’s Health Specialists, Ed’s Public Safety, Sellars Motors Inc. & Live Event Solutions, is a live event, which can also be attended virtually, on Saturday, September 11.

Register today to be a part of the largest participatory event in Covington each year, drawing approximately 3,000 runners, walkers and spectators.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Tips for Summer Pregnancies

Pregnancy presents many changes. Navigating all of them — physical, mood, relationship, life— can be tough, in part because each single change presents potentially dozens more to deal with. Some you might be well prepared for, others may be a surprise. Even the smallest divergence can be disruptive. (See our blog post on how pregnancy affects your skin.)

Considering everything else there is to contend with during pregnancy, changes in season may not be at the top of your concerns list, but they can still be a factor. Which is why Covington Women’s Health Specialists is here to help prepare you as much as possible.

As summer blooms into its full force, here’s some advice about coping well with summer when you’re expecting.

Keep Cool

“Every stage of pregnancy can slightly raise your body temperature,” Healthline Parenthood confirms. And there’s good reason. The regular hormonal and blood flow requirements of pregnancy alone can raise your body temperature, but carrying around an extra person also means you’re carrying around their extra heat.

It’s why staying cool (and, staying hydrated) is paramount. Some cool-down advice during pregnancy includes:

  • Drink more than 8-12 glasses of water per day to compensate for extra water loss due to sweating and other physical demands
  • Wear a hat or use an umbrella against sun exposure
  • Enjoy more AC at night to promote comfortable sleep
  • Carry moist towelettes or a washcloth to wipe down and cool off
  • Give yourself a cool foot soak at the end of the day
  • Wear loose, breathable fabrics to allow for increased breeze and sweat evaporation
  • Avoid exercising in high temperatures

Keep Active

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, exercise during pregnancy can help with several matters, including reducing back pain and keeping your heart and muscles strong. But it’s easy to get overheated. That hot yoga class or humid, mid-day walk outside? They may not be the best idea for summer pregnancy activity, since your body temperature and sweat output would be elevated even if you weren’t expecting.

That doesn’t mean you should avoid exercise altogether, however. Though the best exercise regimen is often determined on a case-by-case basis, gauging your own temperature may be the best guide. “If you look in the mirror and you see that your face is really flushed, I’d take it down a notch,” Erin O’Brien, a prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist based in Pasadena told Grow by WebMd.

Indoor treadmill walking, water exercise, and smooth flow yoga are some possible activities that will keep your body (and your blood flow) moving, without compromising on a comfortable temperature. And you can take advantage of massage and water therapy to help with aching muscles and joints

Keep Eating Well

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of anyone’s diet, but especially when you’re pregnant. “Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day – these can include fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced,” the NHS recommends. These foods not only provide essential vitamins and nutrients, but also key amounts of fiber.

Enjoying vegetables and fruits can also help you maintain good hydration. Cucumbers, watermelon, celery, and zucchini are some reliable go-tos the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials recommends to maintain your fluid flow.

Summer is also a great time for produce bounty, which means peak nutritional performance. “When you consume seasonal produce,” for example, “you get richer flavor and full nutrient composition because your produce is picked at peak ripeness,” Rachel Naar MS RDN CDN told Chowhound. And buying local produce from “Upick” farms and farmers’ markets provides the freshest food while helping our neighbors!

At Covington Women’s Health Specialists we want to help expectant mothers, their partners, and other family members prepare for childbirth regardless of the weather. To discuss your summer (or fall, or winter) pregnancy plan, book an appointment online or call 770-385-8954.

Responding to the Coronavirus Pandemic

We know that the COVID-19 guidelines for in-office visits have been difficult to adjust to. We have always loved seeing new moms with their babies, and we miss that! However, we must ask our patients to arrange childcare before their appointment. Please do not leave your children unattended in the lobby of our building.

All too often these days, when someone is upset or doesn’t understand the rationale behind our rules, they take to social media to complain.  This is called electronic aggression.  People feel some level of satisfaction after they put their complaint forward; they feel like they have struck a blow at the person or company who didn’t give them what they wanted or made them mad.  But what can happen next can change relationships, harm other social media users and have legal consequences.

Because your healthcare is important to us, rude, disruptive or aggressive behavior will not be tolerated in our office or online. 

While we understand the frustration, our hard work adhering to our safety enhancements have paid off. Covington Women’s Health Specialists is proud to announce that there have been NO COVID-19 infections from our offices! Our doctors are fully vaccinated. Our success is directly related to adherence to our COVID-19 precautions, which were developed to adhere to CDC and Piedmont Healthcare guidelines. 

Thank you for following these rules with us! As the vaccine rollout continues, we still need your continued support and cooperation. Let’s continue to protect each other.

Guide for an Adolescent’s First Visit with a Gynecologist

 * Understand, Your Minor Daughter Has Rights Concerning Her Reproductive Health.*

Last month we shared the benefits of annual OBYGN visits for grown women, but is it the same for teens and tweens? Puberty, after all, can be a confusing time saddled with overwhelming change — do you need to add a new appointment (that may be uncomfortable or awkward) to the mix?

Early Conversations Will Help

Confronting issues in conversation, rather than avoiding them, often helps diffuse any fear or awkwardness (even if it’s hard at first). The topic of body changes is no exception. In a recent Parenting article, Dr. Rebecca Unger recommends that talks with girls about their bodies  “should be open, honest and continuous . . . starting at an early age.”

The Mayo Clinic also suggests “The earlier you begin talking to your child about the changes to expect during puberty, the better.”

Having regular, honest, informative discussions about the parts of the body, how they work together, and how they grow and change will help girls feel confidently equipped with information — and can help reduce embarrassment or stigma overall.

So, When to Go?

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists cuts right to the chase — recommending the first visit happen between the ages of 13 and 15. “The scope of the initial visit,” they assert, “will depend on the patient’s concerns, medical history, physical and emotional development, and the level of care the patient is receiving from other health care professionals.”

Dr. Vash-Margita, chief of Yale Medicine Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology (PAG) further explains in a 2018 interview with Yale Medicine that the initial appointment is meant to educate both patients and parents, and build a relationship with the health specialist.

As during similar appointments with adult patients, the first visit is an opportunity to establish a baseline, and address questions and observations about overall body health and changes. It can also pave the way for open conversations about menstrual issues, puberty adjustments, questions about sexual health, and pregnancy prevention as they arise.

What to Expect

“Girls often think there will be a pelvic exam,” says Dr. Vash-Margita, “which is not true. In the beginning of the visit, I tell my patients that, most likely, they will not need an internal pelvic exam. After that, there is a visible sigh of relief and the conversation goes more smoothly.”

More typically, the appointment involves a general physical exam (height, weight, blood pressure, etc.), and an external genital exam. The external genital exam could also be an opportunity for patients to get involved and learn specifics about each part.

Think of this as a chance for a patient and gynecologist to have a conversation and get to know each other — the first of many interactions in the patient’s journey to overall, long-term wellness. That approach should help relieve any (understandable) nervousness.

Going to the gynecologist regularly is simply one step of many that women can take to maintain overall health. It’s something even a Disney princess can do, as shown in Danielle Sepulveres and artist/illustrator Maritza Lugo’s collaboration on a series of illustrations depicting Disney princesses visiting their gynecologists to raise awareness in 2016 for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Beginning this journey at puberty (even if it doesn’t exactly feel magical) is simply one easy way to build and support habits for long-term health.

At Covington Women’s Health Specialists — whether you’re an early adolescent, a Disney princess, a postmenopausal woman, one considering pregnancy for the first time, or have any other health questions or concerns — we care about your entire well-being. Book an appointment with us online, or call 770-385-8954.

*Even if your daughter has not reached the age of 18 yet, she has rights under Georgia State Law.

A minor who understands the risks, benefits and proposed alternatives to certain health services concerning her sexual and reproductive health, may give informed consent. This includes all health care services related to pregnancy or becoming pregnant, reproductive cycle, vaginal infections, sexual functions, without notifying a parent (unless she chooses to do so). Although substance abuse is not a reproductive problem, it also falls under this law.

So, your daughter will be asked if she would like to be interviewed and examined without you being present. While not in your presence, your daughter may consent to or request services that she does not tell you about or that you have not planned on her having leading up to her visit. As a parent, this may offend you, however these laws exist because some young women cannot or would not receive reproductive healthcare in the absence of these laws.

We respect your relationship you’re your child; however, we respect your child’s autonomy in these matters and we will follow the law.