Obgyn And Convent?

[emmaberry]

[quote name='andibc' timestamp='1346708669' post='2477974']
This is probably linked to the use of contraceptives which are class 1 carcinogens. If you can link back to the study, it probably speaks to that issue. From what I have read

[url="http://www.webmd.com/cancer/cervical-cancer/tc/cervical-cancer-screening-health-professional-information-nci-pdq-significance"]http://www.webmd.com...dq-significance[/url]
and while I can't site the source because I read it a few years ago, I do remember a study on the amazing over all health, rare cases of alzheimer and low rates of cancer in cloisters. I don't remember the orders, but the sisters were in habits, cloistered and they were getting growing. If I come across the article, I post it.
[/quote]

Oh, yes. In A Right to Be Merry, Mother Francis says that Poor Clares made up a song called 'Poor Clares Seldom Die.'

You are probably right about the birth control linking to childless woman having increased rates of 'womanly' cancers. Safe to say the nuns probably don't have that issue.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1346707064' post='2477971']
[color=#222222][font=Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][size=4][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]It would be such a relief to have a woman do these kinds of tests, which is probably immature on my part. If I were in the cloister and had hardly even [i]seen[/i] a man for years, I would prefer a woman to do the pap smear! I did not know that certified nurses could do it also...[/background][/size][/font][/color]
[/quote]

My mom thinks it's every woman's decision and I agree. However, from personal experience, my male ob/gyn is very cautious about pain during examination. He always makes sure you are as comfortable as possible. My cousin had a female ob/gyn during her first pregnancy who turned out to be very curt during exams. She thought that you should be able to endure a little bit to get the exam over sooner. It took me a while to get used to my male ob/gyn but I'd prefer one that was cautious to a woman who wasn't.

[mantellata]

Totally personal preference -- I think there are [u]many[/u] out there who prefer a female. Not immature at all!!

[mme_hardy]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1346707064' post='2477971']
I pray outside abortion clinics, and it made me more compassionate towards the girls walking into the clinic..because, I can stare at them or judge them or whatever, but I don't really know what's going on with her. Maybe she's not having an abortion..maybe she's there for a consultation or an ultrasound (doubt it though).
[/quote]

I think that your decision to pray but not to judge is loving and Christlike. About Pap smears -- yes, you can totally ask for a female; whether it's a nurse-practitioner or a female OB/GYN it isn't at all an unreasonable request, and lots of women prefer that.

[cartermia]

So I know this thread is dead by a long time but I am just going to post here in case someone else (lurker and commoner) needs to read it. 

I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and have seen that multiple people posting on this thread have at well. When I was diagnosed just last week, my first thought was "can I still enter because of this?" My doctor has me on a form of hormonal birth control (not sexually active so its morally okay) and Metformin (I hope I spelled that right.) My doctor was one of the first people to actually research about possible treatments for PCOS and this is the treatment he has seen that has worked the best with people. 

The reason why that thought popped into my head was, because you know how you have to put on applications to go visit what medications you are on and if you have any health problems? I am hesitant about putting that I am on a hormonal birth control because most Catholics automatically think that it is evil. I don't know if it is a pride thing. I know of a woman who was turned away years ago from a convent due to health reasons and I just really don't want hat to be me. 

It reassured me seeing that other people also had PCOS and were actively discerning. Please pray for me because the side effects of the medicines are really getting to me right now (massive cramps and bloating for the past week) and so that I can honestly bring this up when I go visit communities this March and July. 

Thank you all so much! I hope someone else learning something from this post like I did so that I am not just resurrecting a dead post. 

[Antigonos]

As a retired nurse-midwife, I am sure that any community of women has and is dealing with a variety of gynecology problems.  This isn't the Middle Ages, after all.  Hormonal birth control pills are used for a variety of other conditions besides contraception, such as PCOS, menorrhagia and metrorrhagia, severe side effects of menopause, acne.  Metformin is a major medication for type 2 diabetes as well as some other medical and GYN conditions.  It's also inexpensive.

I wouldn't worry about disclosing your medical history.

[ToJesusMyHeart]

The DSMME in Austin use my pro-life OBGYN at The Vitae Clinic. I've seen them in the waiting room on multiple occasions. 

http://www.vitaeaustin.com/

[katherineH]

There are certain religious communities with religious sisters as medical doctors, and I know that other communities will send their sisters to see them.  For example, the RSM of Alma operate a clinic in Alma staffed by their sisters and religious and priests from all over the country travel to them for their health needs.  So that's an option in addition to finding a pro-life doctor in the sisters' geographical area. I imagine that a sister would be very understanding of the initial discomfort a sister might feel at the idea of an internal exam. 

[SNJM]

One thing that should be considered is how a religious woman (or community) would like to live their vow of poverty. Women in poverty do not have access to medical care, tests, treatments and the like - including this very country. I have actually known some religious (active) Sisters who chose to "give" their entire selves to God and to accept whatever may be. That being said, for the majority of us here, who do live in the United States, many believe that we have an obligation to care for our bodies in the same way we care for others, the earth, whatever has been given into our care.  It is true that we do have amazing access to medical care and preventive care is really important; for the mission of the community as well as the financial stewardship of the community as well. If a woman had breast cancer and it was untreated (let's say it could have been easily removed through a lumpectomy) and then metastasized into crippling bone cancer,  the resources of the community  - both financially as well as physically - now rest on the community itself to help this woman as she faces the consequences (could be very complicated) of her metastasized cancer. A Sister who is in this state could obviously need pain medication, help with simple duties, etc., all of which - depending upon the community, could either be very expensive or time consuming. So while it might sound "faith-filled" to give one's health issues to God, if one is really intent upon entering a community, one must consider how their choices might affect others. 

Lastly, nobody likes preventive health care visits. If one is really concerned about this, and about to enter a community, and is lucky enough to have medical care offered to them, I suggest that you graciously accept the doctor's appointment as a steward of the body God gave you in an effort to be a healthy member of the community.  Imagine if you were later diagnosed with something that could have been prevented, you refused and now are a burden on the community you had originally hoped to bolster.