What age do you take your daughter for her first "female doctor" visit?

[rcpae]

Just curious about this. I have 3 DD's. My oldest will be 16 in December and the other two are right on her heels. Thinking back, I went when I was a few months away from getting married. I got married at 18.

When should they go for their first visit?

 

[dogodisney]

If there are problems with her periods or if she is sexually active. Otherwise I think 18 is the right age.

I have 2 DDs. One is 16 and the other is about to turn 15 and I have not started taking either of them to a GYN.

 

[Mellie2162]

My ped said to take her if she becomes sexually active or has problems with her periods, otherwise 18. In the meantime my ped does her annual breast exams and she does them herself each month.

I asked my GYN and he confirmed what my ped said.

 

[Angelhalo]

I didn't go for the first time until I was 26. I waited and waited because I kept building it up in my mind to be something completely horrendous.

 

[Veronica Lodge]

My first visit to the gynecologist was when I was in college. I was 18 or 19.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

I think this is all good advice, but will you know when your child becomes sexually active? Not trying to start a debate, but sometimes parents don't know and the first inclination is when there's a grandchild on the way. Just something to think about.

 

[disfan07]

You guys are lucky.....my first visit was when i was 14
Ended up in the ER with a Twisted ovarian cyst so that meant i had to start seeing a GYN which i hated than and 6 years later, i still do

 

[Cantw8]

my daughter was 17. I took her as soon as she had a steady boyfriend

 

[luvmy3]

When she starts menstrating or becomes sexually active is the recommended time.

 

[DVCLiz]

When she starts menstrating or becomes sexually active is the recommended time.

I don't think a girl would need to see a gynecologist just because she started her period. Most 11 and 12 year olds are still seeing their pediatricians even though they have started menstruating.

I agree with 18 unless she has problems - but I think a good pediatrician also discusses sexual acitivity - mine does with both my girls. And she would prescribe birth control for them if they needed it.

My daughter switched from our pediatrician to a nurse practioner in my OBGYN's office when she started college. I'll have DD15 go ahead and switch to my family doctor for the next couple of years (she is ready to leave the pediatric practice), and she can see the NP when she wants or needs to.

 

[clgwli]

I would pick somewhere between 16-18 for a first visit. Not when menstruation starts but about the time when a lot of girls become sexually active. Also that way if they have issues with their periods (painful, bad PMS etc) they have something very knowledgable to talk to about it. JMO

 

[DMickey28]

My mom never took me and I ended up going to Planned Parenthood when I was 18 years old.

If I have a daughter, I think I will talk with her about it but plan on taking her when she turns 16. I'd rather get her in the habit and familiar with it and before any sexual activity becomes tempted then later.
It doesn't even need to be a full gyn visit with exam but maybe an information appointment with the doctor to discuss "life" and the role the doctor will play in her life as a woman would be a good idea. I don't know ... maybe that's stupid.

 

[Feralpeg]

Most doctors recommend age 18 or earlier if the girl becomes sexually active. My daughter went at age 18, but didn't have her first pap until she turned 21.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't think a girl would need to see a gynecologist just because she started her period. Most 11 and 12 year olds are still seeing their pediatricians even though they have started menstruating.

I guess it depends on your pediatrian. Mine recommended dd see the Gyn. when she started her period or when she becomes sexually active. I will most likely wait until she's sexually active unless she has problems with her period. I'm pretty sure its a general recommendation since not all girls start their period when they are only 11 or 12, some still start in their late teens and chances are they are sexually active by that time.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

My DD will be 12 later this month and I posed your question to my gynecologist during my annual visit this year. He said she should start seeing a gynecologist around the time she starts college unless she is having problems before then.

 

[Tess]

My daughter just had her first visit in July--she is 19. I spoke with our physician and she indicated that it was probably time.

Frankly, I don't think my daughter would have suggested it since she has no steady fella' and is not sexually active. I mentioned it to her because I had seen a report on GMA about the proper time to begin routine PAP screening for young women. The GMA physician indicated sexually active, problems with menstrual cycle, or age 18, whichever came first.

 

[Shmily1]

I started taking DD when she was 16. Actually, I just made the appointments and she went with her friends. We have always been really open about discussing these things and I have always told her to tell me before she did anything and or thought she might want to and I would take her. When she was 16, she said she wanted to get the pill just in case so I made the appointment.

 

[maelstrom]

I was 18 when I went for the first time. I went to Planned Parenthood and brought my best friend along and my mom didn't know. My mom never knew until I told her, and she never brought up the topic before that.

 

[CDoobee]

I took my DD for the first time about 2 months ago. She was 17, has since turned 18 and got married last week, so that is what prompted the visit!

 

[DVCLiz]

I guess it depends on your pediatrian. Mine recommended dd see the Gyn. when she started her period or when she becomes sexually active. I will most likely wait until she's sexually active unless she has problems with her period. I'm pretty sure its a general recommendation since not all girls start their period when they are only 11 or 12, some still start in their late teens and chances are they are sexually active by that time.

But is that a blanket recommendation no matter how old a girl is when she starts her period, or his/her advice only if a girl hasn't started by her late teens?

Because while I would definitely take a 15 or 16 year old who hadn't started for a gyn checkup, I wouldn't think just the act of starting to menstruate would necessitate a visit to a specialist, which is what a gyn is. That just seems weird to me.