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

[zoje-george.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I'd say that until about five years ago, every visit to the GYN included stirrups and one's bottom hanging perilously off the edge of the table. Then at some point the far less perilous, far more comfortable knee stirrups began appearing in the GYN's office.

[anglaisepaon.livejournal.com]

Dude, I should clarify what I said above...I was talking about the knee stirrups that zoje_george mentioned. I can't imagine the feet stirrups are anything but massively uncomfortable and awkward.

[yiskah.livejournal.com]

Gosh, what are these knee stirrups? I've only ever encountered the foot ones, and I can't imagine what the knee ones even look like.

[anglaisepaon.livejournal.com]

The ones at my doctor's office look like this, although I've never seen straps to tie down legs. That scares me that they're even made that way.

[yiskah.livejournal.com]

Oh, they actually look quite comfortable (though I'm totally with you on the straps. Eek).

[pescana.livejournal.com]

I've never seen those before, only the foot stirrups. Which I don't like, but it does allow my doctor to get on with things. Gynecological exams are painful for me, especially the smear part. You're not supposed to feel it, but I do.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I am also quite freaked out by the huge basin underneath the bed. How much blood are they planning to get???

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Suspect it's for childbirth use? You do have to collect the blood so you know roughly how much the woman's lost, and then there's the placenta...

But personally, the idea of giving birth in that position gives me the heebies. Lying down was the most painful thing when I was in labour.