02/07/2026
Here it is always your body and your choice, every day, every time. We will provide education on different options but we will always do, or not do, what you are comfortable with 🫶🏼
“So we’ll be doing a pap smear today” the nurse said to me at my first trimester OB visit.
I don’t think it was intended to be disrespectful. In fact, she seemed nice.
But it was evident she was just so used to the system and routine way of doing things by the way she stated what would be happening to me rather than offering or asking what I would like to do, (which is the only thing that is appropriate).
It wasn’t the first time something like this had happened to me in a medical setting. So I had no problem speaking up for myself. After enough bad experiences, I’ve learned.
“Oh, no thanks. I won’t be doing that,” I responded.
My most recent was current enough so doing another would be unnecessary. And with my history of bleeding in pregnancy and recurrent miscarriages, I just do not mess with things ESPECIALLY in early pregnancy.
The nurse looked stunned and confused, which told me they were not used to a patient refusing a *routine* procedure.
Based on her reaction, I couldn’t help but think how scarcely she must have patients refuse what they *tell* them they will be doing to THEIR bodies.
And made me wonder how many women even realize they can say, “no” to anything that makes them uncomfortable in a setting like that.
It’s intimidating when a medical professional TELLS you what will be happening to you.
So I just wanted to let women everywhere know that if you find yourself in a medical setting being told that some *routine* thing will be happening to YOUR body, and you have even an ounce of hesitation or discomfort with that, you are allowed to say “no thank you, I won’t be doing that.”
You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone.
You don’t have to answer questions.
You can simply decline, or wait and take your time to research and decide. ♥️
