Pelvic exam

Clinical breast and pelvic examinations are commonly accepted practices prior to provision of hormonal contraception. Such examinations, however, may reduce access to highly effective contraceptive methods, and may therefore increase women's overall health risks. These unnecessary requirements also involve ethical considerations and unwittingly reinforce the widely held but incorrect perception that hormonal contraceptive methods are dangerous. This article reviews and summarizes the relevant medical literature and policy statements from major organizations active in the field of contraception...

From 1987 to 1992, 3220 asymptomatic postmenopausal women underwent screening with transvaginal sonography (TVS) as part of the University of Kentucky Ovarian Cancer Screening Project. Ovarian volume was calculated using the prolate ellipsoid formula (length x height x width x 0.523). An abnormal sonogram was defined by (1) an ovarian volume > 10cm3 or (2) a papillary projection into a cystic ovarian tumor. All women with an abnormal TVS had a repeat sonogram in 4-6 weeks. If the repeat sonogram was abnormal, a morphology index score was assigned to each tumor, and a serum CA-125 was obtained...