What are checked in reproductive health examination

From a core point of view, reproductive health examinations mainly cover three categories: basic health examinations, reproductive system-specific examinations, and targeted sexual pathogen and functional screenings. Regardless of men and women, it is recommended to do it every 1-2 years after having sex. You don’t have to wait until you are preparing for pregnancy or are feeling unwell before you think of arrangements.

Speaking of which, I just went with a friend last week. She originally thought that she would just check for leucorrhea to meet the welfare physical examination requirements of her employer. The doctor asked her about the occasional light pink bleeding during intercourse in the past three months, and her menstruation was always delayed for more than a week. She was tested for TCT, HPV and thyroid function. The results showed that the HPV was negative but she had mild cervical inflammation and thyroid function and some subclinical hypothyroidism. The doctor said that if she didn’t check it and didn’t find out until after she had a baby, it would be easy for her to have fetal arrest or miscarriage.

Many people think that reproductive examination only checks the lower body. In fact, this is a big misunderstanding. Basic items such as blood routine, liver and kidney function, coagulation, and thyroid function are all routinely checked. After all, the reproductive system follows the endocrine system of the whole body. Just like whether crops grow well or not, it first depends on whether the soil fertility is sufficient. If endocrine disorders are disrupted, the first problems that arise are menstruation and sperm quality. I met a young man before who only wanted to check his sperm before getting pregnant. As a result, he found out that the transaminase was high and he also had mild gout. The doctor asked him to adjust his work and rest to lower uric acid first, otherwise it may affect the development of the fetus even if he gets pregnant.

We have heard a lot about women’s exclusive examination items, such as routine gynecological physical examination, routine leucorrhea, cervical cancer screening (TCT+HPV), and pelvic ultrasound. If you have irregular menstruation or have been unable to get pregnant for a long time, you will also be tested for six sex hormones and anti-Mullerian hormone to evaluate ovarian function. Let me talk about a controversial point that everyone is generally concerned about. Nowadays, many people say that women who are not sexually active do not need to have gynecological examinations at all. In fact, it depends on the situation: if there is no discomfort and regular menstruation, there is really no need to undergo invasive transvaginal examinations. If there are severe dysmenorrhea, menstrual disorders or inexplicable pain in the lower abdomen, a transabdominal ultrasound or anal examination can completely diagnose the problem and will not damage the hymen. There is really no need to be embarrassed to carry it.

Many people are unfamiliar with the exclusive items for men. In fact, it is nothing more than a physical examination of the external genitalia and a semen routine. If you need to prepare for pregnancy or feel that there is abnormal function, you will also be tested for six items: sperm motility, malformation rate, and sex hormones. Don’t think that boys don’t need to do it if they don’t have symptoms. I once asked a colleague to prepare for pregnancy for a year without any news.

There is also a type of sexually transmitted disease screening that is easily ignored by everyone, such as syphilis, AIDS, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, as well as mycoplasma, chlamydia, gonococcus, etc. If you have had unprotected sex or multiple sexual partners, it is best to check every six months. Many of these infections have no symptoms at all in the early stage. When there is itching, pain or abnormal secretions, they have become chronic. Women are prone to fallopian tube blockage, and men will affect sperm motility. By then, it will be much more troublesome to have children.

Nowadays, many people always think that reproductive examination is a "shady" item, or only those who want to have children need to do it. It is really an old concept. Nowadays, young people stay up late, are stressed, have chaotic schedules, and are getting younger and younger. Problems such as polycystic cysts, premature ovarian failure, and decreased sperm motility are getting younger and younger. Regular examinations are actually the same as regular physical examinations every year. Spending a small amount of money buys peace of mind. It is more cost-effective to intervene early if there is a small problem than to delay it into a serious illness, right?