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Is routine antenatal booking vaginal examination necessary for reasons other than cervical cytology if ultrasound examination is planned?

  1. PETER O'DONOVAN Registrar1,
  2. JANESH K. GUPTA Medical Student2,
  3. JOHN SAVAGE Statistician3,
  4. JAMES G. THORNTON Research Fellow1,
  5. RICHARD J. LILFORD Professor4,*

Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1988.tb09482.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 95, Issue 6, pages 556–559, June 1988

Additional Information

How to Cite

O'DONOVAN, P., GUPTA, J. K., SAVAGE, J., THORNTON, J. G. and LILFORD, R. J. (1988), Is routine antenatal booking vaginal examination necessary for reasons other than cervical cytology if ultrasound examination is planned?. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 95: 556–559. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1988.tb09482.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Clarendon Wing, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NS

  2. 2

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Clarendon Wing, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NS, Leeds University

  3. 3

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Clarendon Wing, The General Infirmary at Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NS, Leeds Polytechnic

  4. 4

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St James's University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF

* Professor R. J. Lilford

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 AUG 2005
  2. Article first published online: 19 AUG 2005
  3. Received 18 May 1987, Accepted 6 September 1987

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Summary. Sixteen ovarian cysts, including one borderline ovarian malignancy, and ten trichomonal vaginal discharges but no cases of cervical incompetence or ectopic pregnancy had been detected at booking vaginal examination in 11 622 consecutive antenatal case records abstracted retrospectively. In an attitude survey of pregnant women 77% believed that vaginal examination was reassuring, 55% found it unpleasant, and 18% thought it could cause miscarriage. This, and a review of the literature, suggests that routine vaginal examination if ultrasound is planned has few advantages beyond the taking of a cervical smear.

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