Trust me that any doctor or person in the medical field has pretty much seen it all and just looks at it as some body part(nothing sexual). I am studying to go into the medical field myself and have a number of friends who are doctors, nurses, etc. Many are males. They've seen everything and are very professional. I have a male doctor that I go to and don't mind at all. Usually they are required to have a female in the room also, so it's not just you and the guy.
Personally, if it was an internal U/S, I would ask for a female as well and wouldn't feel bad about it. I've never run into that problem just yet, thankfully. I have had males do an abdominal scan, and I'm okay with that, just not the internal. Maybe it's because I deal with midwives, I'm just more comfortable with a woman, plus we have the same parts? LOL ;)
I voted eithier, I have had it done by both males and females (4 complicated pregnancies) and it has never been an issue for me, but i also have had both male and female Dr's, so I am used to it. I do think that it should always be your choice though because it is all about what you are comfortable with! I would'nt feel bad about asking for someone else if I did not want that person!
I also have to share a story about extra people "seeing the goods"....I had 3 interns in the room when I delivered my daughter, so when I was in labor with my son and the doctor asked if his intern shadow could be in the room, I thought nothing of it....
As I'm sitting there pushing, cracking jokes, enjoying myself..having a blast...I completely forgot that she was there. (and yes, I had an epidural but no it didn't work properly and I had back labor....but I'm one of the weird people who really enjoys labor and delivery). As soon as they hand my son to me, wailing away, I catch sight of someone near the door and look up to see the intern standing there, white as a sheet, shaking like a leaf, her mouth hanging open. I was like "are you alright?" (as the doctor is between my knees sewing up my episiotomy, my ankles halfway to the ceiling) and she just stares for a second and then goes "Oh my GOD that was AMAZING how did you DO that?! OH my gosh there's so much blood...." i laughed so hard...maybe it was rude, but she was so shell-shocked that it was pretty darn funny....apparently I was her first attending labor.
Both of the OBs (and their partners) who delivered my kids were males....I have no problem with it. I think that after you go through one pregnancy by the time you get to the 2nd all concepts of modesty are gone, LOL....if you were uncomfortable he should have been more polite, but at the same time I think that most of the responses here show that being uncomfortable is not a common response and he may have felt professionally insulted.
however...you definitely had a right to speak up and have your comfort seen to.
my OB is a male and I have had male techs before but like some have said there is always a female in the room, and this is not only for ur comfort but it is required by the health department... just like when a pap smear is performed...
I don't think it matters, male or female. You have to think, they look at vaginas all day, yours is nothing special...they're medical professionals, you can usually ask for someone to be in the room with you as an "escort" or have family/friends in the room with you. You don't have to be alone. At first I didn't want a male dr with my son, and had a female. I didn't really get a choice when we moved, and the surgeon who did my c-section was male. Once you've been laid out on an operating table with more than one guy besides your husband in the room...modesty flies out the window. If you're uncomfortable you have every right in the world to have a female, but honestly I don't think it's that big a deal.
I know you feel uncomfortable with a male and that's your decision. It's your body and you have to be comfortable but that being said I work in the medical field. It's completely different and trust me they are just doing their job. But like I said before you have to be comfortable.
I think it's perfectly understandable for you to be uncomfortable with a male doing the internal scan. I go to an all female gyn office for that reason, and the fact that he was rude when you requested a female doesn't speak well for his ability to remain professional, so you were probably better off not having him do it anyway!
The only time I've had a male doctor do anything down there (excepting a very awkward and unexpected examination when I was 13) is when I had an HSG, and my husband and 2 female nurses were present at the time.
i dont think it should matter..they are doctors or radiologists either way..doesn't matter.
like other people said, male OBGYNs are common. he was probably offended thinking you didn't trust him to behave professionally or you may have come across rude (to him)
i wouldn't have cared. like someone else said, its uncomfortable either way.
I voted female for internal exam, just for my own preference. But, I have always had female doctors, too. I suppose if I had to have a male, it wouldn't be the end of the world, but you think they'd check to see if it was OK first before assuming you were comfortable with it.
Your stories cracked me up! That is hilarious! I guess I will know if they ask me if people can watch I'll say "how many will there be?" LOL
My OB is male so he always did it but I know him bc hes my dr. It would be ackward if it was a strange man.
i had my first u/s on 11-1, done by a male. he was the nicest, most professional tech ever! (he was even more professional than the dr!) of course, my DH was there and cracking jokes the whole time, so the tension was eased a little. but, all in all your comfort and modesty is the number one priority, so it was silly for the tech to be rude.
lol! Sorry this is OT, but you reminded me of a story. =) My third child was "sunny-side-up" and I labored with him on my hands and knees. I also delivered that way. Immediately after he was born I turned around and --to my surprise-- there were about 6-7 young nursing students in the delivery room!! I don't know if they had asked me or not, but I didn't remember if they did, and boy was a shocked! They all got quite the sight! LOL Oh well, by that point you really do not care. :p
Im also in the uk,and had many internal scans performed by a male doctor,at the end of the day he is a doctor trained to do this,so didnt have a problem,they wouldnt do it if there wasnt a nurse present,hence why they changed your appointment.
I used to have a thing about Male Docs and stuff. but Since my termination last year (Medical reasons at the time) he was male and performed the surgery I kinda changed my perspective. They have all seen it before! But its based on you. whether you're comfortable!
x
The only reason I felt a bit embarrassed is cos I never shaved my legs before hand!!! Haha
I've never had a female I had an internal and external scan both with males and my doc is male too
When I was pregnant with my daughter I started with a female doctor before i was referred to a specialist. Anyway, they were a bunch of med students & one day during one of my check ups my doc asked me if I minded having anyone look in during the exam. I said,"uh, I guess not."
The next thing I knew about 6 or 7 diferrent med students filed into the room to watch. Well, that was a little awkward.
botttom line: Clysta is right. You may be timid at first, but by the end you don't care who looks at what! Of course, do what makes you comfortable. You may or may not change your mind later on.
I've had both, and frankly by the time you deliver you're going to be seen so many times you won't care who is looking anymore. It's their job, and to them what they see is the same as if they were reading a book.
When I had my miscarriage in March my OB had her U/S tech do an internal U/S to make sure that they are both seeing the same thing like a 2nd opinion. I didn't have a problem with it because like others said it's uncomfortable no matter what. But it did make me feel better that they had a female nurse watch also. But it's all up to you and what really makes you comfortable. They can't force you to have a male do it if you want a female.
Find a female. Its bad enough being naked at the doc's all the time... All the poking & proding, looking.. You need to feel comfortable.
If you want a female doc. get a female doc. That is not unreasonable at all. Everyone is different. There are places with all female staff. If you were the only one who felt this way, then those places wouldn't exist.
My gyn is a male but I have never met him bc when I first got a pap I was 16 and didn't feel comfortable with a male so I have his under person.
As for that... I'm not sure if I'd feel comfy with a male one now.