What is a Disposable Speculum?

I'm a retired nurse, and I think that my new GP may be reusing disposable plastic single-use vaginal speculae. I did not see the wrapping, the assistant entered the room holding the speculum, and there was a clear transparent glove over each blade. I can't remember if she disposed of it after the procedure. The procedure itself was very painful from the outset, and when he was done, I wiped myself, and there was a bit of blood (external). On my way home, I was trying to figure out why it would be so painful, and the pain was vaginal, around the orifice, not near the cervix, and I've never experienced this before. I'm pretty certain there was no lubricant or even water used. And, it felt like he just pushed the instrument in without separating my labia with his free hand.

I'm trying to decide if I should ask him about his procedure/technique. I think they are either using the gloves instead of lubricant (which doesn't make any sense) or they are using gloves so they can reuse the speculum. I kind of think that even if I'm right, they would not admit it. I think though, that they are reusing them, those those clear disposable gloves are so flimsy, they could easily tear, and result in spreading infection.

Any ideas what I should do ? Should I talk to him or just leave it ?

Metal speculums should never be used. There have been too many incidents (in the USA and the UK) where mistakes were made and the instruments weren't sterilized properly.

Are they supposed to be thrown away in a bio hazard bag or regular trash?

@sunnySkys - I don't know...I mean, if we ruin the environment, it's not going to matter if everyone has a healthy reproductive system! There must be some happy medium between going totally disposable and reusing some things.

Also, that article you mentioned is scary, but it sounds like that hospital had bigger problems. If they couldn't be bothered to sterilize instruments they knew they were supposed to, who knows what else they were doing wrong? I bet most practices adhere to proper sterilization techniques and would probably be fine using instruments that aren't disposable.

@ElizaBennett - I'm sorry, but I think the safety of women should come first, before worrying about the environmental impact of using a disposable vagina speculum. There are a lot of other things that have a negative impact on the environment that don't have a positive affect on women-but this does.

I read a horrifying article a few months ago about a hospital that was found to be reusing their pelvic exam speculums without sanitizing them first. A staggering amount of women were affected and had to go to their regular doctors to get checked for STIs and other infections.

If that hospital was using disposable speculums, they wouldn't have had that problem.

I think it is unusual if most clinics and doctors offices don't use disposable speculums.

Every time I visit the doctor, they take my temperature, check my ears and use a tongue depressor to check my throat.

These are all done with disposable instruments. When they are finished using them, they are immediately thrown away.

If you were practicing as a doctor before these disposable instruments became so popular, I am sure this was a welcome transition for them.

Are there very many places that don't use disposable speculums anymore?

I have noticed my doctor using more disposable instruments all the time. For years now they have been using the disposable thermometers. I can imagine how much time this saves and is so much more sanitary for everyone.

I also feel much better when she uses disposable vaginal speculums when giving her female exams.

This way you don't have to worry about the speculum being clean and sanitized. Just thinking about getting the exam done is worry enough for me.

I'm glad to hear that most doctors use disposable speculums. Things like bacterial infections and colds could be easily spread by reusable instruments.

My doctor looks in my ears with a speculum whenever I have a sinus infection. I would hate to think that there was a chance of someone else's ear wax getting put into my ear, along with their bacteria.

I realize this creates extra garbage, but it is worth it. Better to have more trash than to spread infections among the population. Environmentalists will likely see it differently, but I am a germaphobe, and this is how I look at it.

My doctor uses a disposable vaginal speculum, and I am glad. The thought of one being reused is horrifying to me.

I always see the speculum wrapped in plastic and sitting on the counter before she uses it. She somehow plugs it into an electrical outlet to heat it up. This keeps my muscles from tensing so much when she inserts it, and that makes it easier for her to push it on in the cavity.

The insertion is not the really uncomfortable part. That comes when she opens up the speculum. It stretches the cavity out, and it just feels very strange and wrong.

I would wait and have the exam done every three years, but I have a good reason for having it done yearly. My doctor will not renew my prescription for birth control unless I see her once a year.

@dfoster85 - It was probably disposable; I think that plastic vaginal specula are always disposable. (Not totally sure.) Which does, of course, raise the issue of environmental impact. Some practices are shifting away from the use of disposable specula because of the waste involved in throwing away a speculum and its packaging after every exam, not to mention the cost of shipping them. They are returning to the using sterilizable metal specula, which are completely safe.

Women who hate having Pap smears - and who doesn't? - can minimize them by considering ACOG's (American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologist's) recommendations. Women who have consistently had normal Paps do not need to have one every year! It's a waste of medical dollars. Many doctors are accustomed to doing them every year, though, so it may take some negotiating to get your doc to keep you as a patient without being required to have an annual Pap test.

I'm not sure if it was disposable or washable plastic, but I did have a doctor once who uses a plastic vaginal speculum. The big advantage of these over metal ones is that they are much more lightweight. Women who typically experience pain during a pelvic exam might benefit from a doctor who uses a plastic or disposable vaginal speculum rather than a metal one.