She figured she needed fewer Pap smears.
Lesbians and bisexual women need to see their doctor with the same frequency as heterosexual women.
It’s essential for everyone to find a health care provider with whom you feel completely comfortable.
Not just the health care provider, but the entire office staff should be welcoming and receptive.
You should tell your doctor about your sexual identity.
Unfortunately, its rare for a doctor to ask if someone is straight or gay.
In that case, the conversation might shift to questions like Do you share sex toys?
Do you use dental dams for protection against STIs?
You may face barriers to health care and fertility treatments.
Also, some health care providers will not offer fertility service to women who identify themselves as lesbian.
Sadly, this could reflect personal prejudices that adversely affect their responsibilities as a physician.
Others will cover insemination but not the sperm.
Lesbians do have some higher risks than heterosexual women.
Given these increased health risks, lesbian patients need to feel comfortable disclosing their sexual orientation.
Lesbians still need to practice safer sex.
It is not recommended to share sex toys and dildos.
Lesbians need Pap smears and gyno checkups just as regularly as straight women.
Since lesbians arent having sex with men, they dont need Pap smears, right?
However, many lesbians have been sexually active with men in their past.
A case in point is the human papilloma virus (HPV), for which lesbians are at risk.
It can show up on future Pap smears as causing pre-cancer cells.
Below are thecurrent guidelines for Pap testing4.
Current guidelines for pap testing.
The bottom line.
Lesbian and bisexual women need to follow the exact same gynecological guidelines as straight women.
