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An educational recording of a vaginal childbirth, showing how labor and delivery progress. For learning purposes only — not medical advice; talk to your own clinician about your pregnancy and delivery.

Routine pelvic exams are important for good reproductive health. A woman should have her first GYN exam when she first thinks about becoming sexually active, when she becomes sexually active or when she turns 18.

At the gynecologist, you will have a short general physical exam, including a breast exam. You will wear a hospital gown and nothing else. For the actual pelvic examination, you will lie down on an examination table with your feet resting in elevated “stirrups” (props that support your legs in the air). Stirrups might look a little scary, but they are there to keep you comfortable. Your legs will be spread apart, with your knees falling to each side so that your vagina is exposed. You may feel uncomfortable, but relax and realize that everyone goes through this.

External Exam
The practitioner will visually examine your vulva for discoloration, irritation, swelling and other abnormalities, and will gently feel for glands.

Internal Exam
There are two parts to the internal exam. The first involves a speculum, a metal or plastic instrument that the practitioner inserts into the vagina. The speculum is shaped like a duck’s bill, and once it is inserted into the vaginal canal, it is gently widened to spread the interior vaginal walls (this is not painful). As the vaginal walls are spread, the practitioner is able to see the walls of the vagina itself, and up the vaginal canal to the cervix. When viewing the vaginal canal and the cervix, the practitioner can look for discoloration, abnormal discharge, lesions, growths and signs of infection. It is possible for you to look at your own cervix during this process by propping yourself up on your elbows and using a mirror. Some practitioners ask if you would like to do this, but feel free to ask to if she doesn’t mention it first.

Pap Smear
Next the practitioner will take a pap smear. She/he uses a long-stemmed cotton swab to collect a sample of cells in the cervix. Some women feel a slight cramping sensation when their cervix is touched. The collected cells are smeared onto a slide and sent to a lab for testing and examination. The pap smear is extremely important for spotting abnormalities in the cervix which may indicate infection or disease.

STD Testing
If you are sexually active, the practitioner will test for STDs. The gynecologist will swab the inside of the cervix with a long cotton swab. The speculum is then taken out of the vagina. The samples are sent to a laboratory for various STD testing. The tests will probably take a couple days. Ask when your results will be available so you can call. If you want to be tested for HIV, syphilis, genital herpes or hepatitis you need to have blood taken. They can do that as well, but you will need to ask since it is not usually routine.

Manual Exam
The second part of the pelvic exam is called the manual or bi-manual exam. The practitioner will insert one or two fingers into your vagina and press with her/his other hand on the outside of your lower abdomen. They will use a lubricant on their fingers so it is more comfortable. The person can then feel the uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries, and check for any swelling or tenderness. Once the doctor is finished checking your uterus and ovaries, the exam is complete. The entire pelvic exam (the parts involving your vagina, cervix, uterus, and ovaries) takes 3 to 5 minutes to complete.

A proctoscope examination of the rectum is demonstrated step by step in this educational video, showing how the instrument is inserted and what the clinician inspects. It is intended for medical students and clinicians learning lower gastrointestinal examination. Educational only — not medical advice.

An educational video of childbirth in the squatting position and why some mothers choose it. Educational only — not medical advice.

Inguinal hernia Diagram of an indirect, scrotal inguinal hernia ( median view from the left). Diagram of an indirect, scrotal inguinal hernia ( median view from the left). By far the most common hernias (up to 75% of all abdominal hernias) are the so-called inguinal hernias. For a thorough understanding of inguinal hernias, much insight is needed in the anatomy of the inguinal canal. Inguinal hernias are further divided into the more common indirect inguinal hernia (2/3, depicted here), in which the inguinal canal is entered via a congenital weakness at its entrance (the internal inguinal ring), and the direct inguinal hernia type (1/3), where the hernia contents push through a weak spot in the back wall of the inguinal canal. Inguinal hernias are more common in men than women while femoral hernias are more common in women.

This video demonstrates the rectal examination, a clinical assessment used to evaluate the rectum and nearby structures. The recording shows how the examination is performed as part of a complete physical assessment in medical practice. The examination can help assess the prostate and check for abnormalities.

Dr Chris Steele demonstrates a breast examination on a live model. This shows how to check yourself for early signs of tumours, cysts and other symptoms of breast cancer.

An educational video of placental delivery, the third stage of labor, and what clinicians check after the baby is born. Educational only — not medical advice.

An educational video showing how a Pap smear sample is collected during a pelvic exam, and why cervical screening matters. Educational only — screening schedules are personal; follow your clinician's advice.

An educational clinical case showing the management of a deceased near-term breech baby with head entrapment during delivery. For learning purposes only — not medical advice.

Urinary catheter insertion in a female infant patient is demonstrated in this clinical-skills video, using the sterile technique applied in pediatric care. It shows catheter placement as performed by trained clinical staff. This is a training resource for nursing and medical students. Procedure education only — not personal medical advice.

An educational childbirth video showing the delivery process as it happens. For learning purposes only — not medical advice.

An educational video of an adult circumcision procedure and what it involves. Procedure education only — not personal medical advice.

In this short demonstration, a clinician performs a pelvic examination, showing the basic steps involved in this routine gynecological check. The video is intended for medical students and for patients who want to know what a pelvic exam involves before their own appointment. Educational only — not medical advice.

An educational demonstration of a male urological examination, for patients and students who want to know what to expect. Educational only — not medical advice.

A testicular examination is mainly performed on male patients who present with testicular pathology e.g. pain, swelling, a lump. Although titled testicular examination it involves the examination of the penis, scrotum and testes. As this is an intimate examination it is pertinent to gain a good rapport with your patient, maintain good communication and ensure the patient’s dignity at all times. Remember to offer a chaperone for this skill. For the purposes of your exam, you will most likely be examining a mannequin.

ectal exam is an internal examination of the rectum such as by a physician or other healthcare professional.
The digital rectal examination (DRE, Latin palpatio per anum or PPA) is a relatively simple procedure. The patient is placed in a position where the anus is accessible and relaxed (lying on the side, squatting on the examination table, bent over the examination table, etc). The physician inserts a gloved and lubricated finger into the rectum through the anus and palpates the insides.
The DRE is inadequate as a screening tool for colorectal cancer because it examines less than 10% of the colorectal mucosa; colonoscopy is preferred. However, it's an important part of a general examination, as many tumors or other diseases are made manifest in the distal part of the rectum.

This examination may be used: * for the diagnosis of rectal tumors and other forms of cancer; * in males, for the diagnosis of prostatic disorders, notably tumors and benign prostatic hyperplasia; * for the diagnosis of appendicitis or other examples of an acute abdomen (i.e. acute abdominal symptoms indicating a serious underlying disease); * for the estimation of the tonicity of the anal sphincter, which may be useful in case of fecal incontinence or neurologic diseases, including traumatic spinal cord injuries; * in females, for gynecological palpations of internal organs * for examination of the hardness and color of the feces (ie. in cases of constipation, and fecal impaction); * prior to a colonoscopy or proctoscopy. * to evaluate haemorrhoids

The DRE is frequently combined with an FOBT (fecal occult blood test), which may be useful for diagnosing the etiology of an anemia and/or confirming a gastrointestinal bleed.

Sometimes proctoscopy may also be part of a rectal examination.

Delivery using foreceps

An educational documentary on female reproductive anatomy and how it works. Educational only — not medical advice.

A clear 3D animation of a normal vaginal delivery, showing how the baby moves through the birth canal. Educational only — not medical advice.