Vaginal Exams / Internal Exams - How Do You Feel About Them?

[~me~]

Couldn't find an option to really fit me. I would have as many as my GP suggested if it was Pap Smear related.
Had none at all during pregnancy and maybe 1 during labour for each labour to check dialiation. Actually I tell a lie, I had a stretch and sweep for my third, it was the most uncomfortable feeling ever, I was desperate to try anything to go into labour naturally. It did nothing. I am fortunate that my OB's didn't think them necessary during pregnancy.

I need to know a valid (in my mind) reason for having one. My most recent was to check on my Mirena, so that and Pap smear is really the only valid reason for me.

[Pholi]

I would like an option in between the first two - I don't mind them, but I wouldn't have them as often as the doctor suggests, if they were suggesting it as often as some people have said they have. For pap smears, etc, I have no problem with them. In pregnancy, I think they are mostly unnecessary, and thankfully I had an obs who agreed, and I had none. During labour I had maybe 6 internals to check dilation, but I was happy to have them because I did have a very long, slow labour (30 hours) and it helped me to make decisions about getting the epidural and when I had epidural top-ups and how big they were. However, if the doctor/mw had been suggesting them every hour, I would have been refusing 2 out of 3 of them.