General wellnessPreventive careWomen's health

7 key questions to ask your gynecologist

If you've ever wondered these things, you're not alone. Here's how to prepare for your next OBGYN appointment.

Jan, 2026
LearnGynecological health7 key questions to ask your gynecologist
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Can you get tested for every cancer?
Are my periods 'normal?'
Are periods even necessary?
What’s the best birth control?
How do you deal with vaginal dryness?
Can you cure my STI?
Can oral sex spread STIs?

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Unpredictable periods, vaginal changes, how to avoid sexually transmitted infections—you’re not the only one wondering about health issues like these.

Allison Giles, DO, an OBGYN in Richmond, Virginia, shares the questions she gets asked most often, plus the answers everyone should know. Of course, if you’re experiencing new or worsening symptoms your OGBYN should know about, make an appointment right away to get some answers.

Written byRose Hayes, MA, RN.
Medically reviewed byJoanne Perron, MD.March, 2024
Sources: American Cancer Society. Can Ovarian Cancer Be Found Early? Page revised on July 24 + 17
  1. American Cancer Society. Can Ovarian Cancer Be Found Early? Page revised on July 24, 2020. Accessed June 2022.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Page reviewed January 13, 2022.
  3. Mayo Clinic. Estrogen (Vaginal Route). May 1, 2022. Accessed June 2022.
  4. Mayo Clinic. CA 125 test. March 31, 2022. Accessed June 2022.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Uterine Cancer: What Should I Know About Screening? August 5, 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  6. American Cancer Society. Can Ovarian Cancer Be Prevented? April 18, 2018. Accessed June 2022.
  7. Mayo Clinic. Vaginal dryness after menopause: How to treat it? June 18, 2022. Accessed June 2022.
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hepatitis C (pdf). April 2020. Accessed June 2022.
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs): STD Risk and Oral Sex—CDC Fact Sheet. December 31, 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  10. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC): Intrauterine Device (IUD) and Implants. November 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. The Menopause Years. November 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Viral Hepatitis: Hepatitis B Questions and Answers for Health Professionals. March 30, 2022. Accessed June 2022.
  13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccines and Preventable Diseases: HPV Vaccination Recommendations. November 16, 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  14. Mayo Clinic. Delaying your period with hormonal birth control. Page revised January 8, 2022. Accessed June 2022.
  15. Mayo Clinic. Menstrual Cycle:  What’s normal, what’s not? Page revised April 29, 2021. Accessed June 2022.
  16. Office on Women’s Health. Birth control methods. Page revised November 24, 2021.
  17. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Cervical Cancer: Screening. Page revised August 21, 2018. Accessed June 2022.
  18. National Cancer Institute. Cervical Cancer Screening (PDQ)—Patient Version. June 10, 2022. Accessed June 2022.

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