Stirrups (not the horse kind)

[slemslempike]

When you go for a smear test (or similar), are there stirrups?

I've usually heard Americans talking about stirrups for such incidents, while I'm under the impression that I've only heard British women refer to them for ante-natal use. When I go, I just have to do that frogs' legs thing (which is awkward if the table is against the wall on one side).

I was watching Jo Brand on Live at the Apollo, and she talked about stirrups as if they would of course be used for a smear. Have I just always had lo-tech medical care? I don't feel like I have had a particularly sheltered outlook, at least four medical professionals have investigated my nethers.

Comments

[snowballjane.livejournal.com]

Three different GP surgeries, all NHS, one of which was an ultra-up-to-date teaching centre linked to UCLH for doctors to learn to be GPs. No stirrups anywhere.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I am curious now to see if I've got the wrong impression about American gyn care, and if it's all a huge media construct.