Is it normal for a family doctor to give a girl a breast exam during a routine physical?

[Anonymous]

A couple of days ago I was at the doctor's office for a routine physical and he did a full breast exam. I had never had one done during a regular physical before and was wondering if this is at all normal. He didn't do a pelvic exam, just the breast exam.

[Anonymous]

Would you feel more comfortable with a female chaperone in the room? If the male provider did it in a professional fashion, albeit unnecessary and even for his own kicks & giggles, there wouldn't be anything the female chaperone could object to.
There is a big debate about some of these tests females are subjected to. The "totally unnecessary breast exam" is an acronym that gets whispered, but not talked about. I would hope providers of young patients wouldn't abuse their authority in this way. It could be totally legit, unnecessary, or pervy unnecessary.
There have been so many perv stories about male providers and these exams, I advise the females in my life to find female providers.

[doctorwhofan23]

Was he checking for cancer? I know during physicals guys are checked for testiicular cancer. I assume the same could be true for breat cancer in women.

[Anonymous]

Was there a nurse in the room? Mine has done this but they have to have a female nurse in the room or so I've been told. We actually almost sued a doctor for sexual assault because I went in for an appointment regarding my leg and he had me take all my clothes off and checked my breasts when he wasn't supposed to. That's when I found out the nurse rule.

[creativeusername101]

there is no nurse rule. it's an option for women that are uncomfortable alone with male doctors. that, or he got accused of something in the past and is on disciplinary probation.

[Opinion Owner]

Probably the latter, judging by the reaction I was given by the person who was in charge. They had the actual woman who was the head of the hospital call me immediately and she didn't even ask questions, she jumped straight to apologizing and saying she would wipe out every single one of my medical bills I have if I don't pursue it and keep things hush hush. Pretty sick!!

[jacquesvol]

In Belgium some clinics apply a nurse rule, others don't.

[xHoneyxBeex]

Uh... not that I know of. I've only ever gotten breast exams at my annual gynecologist appointments. I've never had a "family doctor" look or touch me there. Of course, maybe it's different depending on the doctor, I don't know.

[kheserthorpe]

I actually find that odd.

[jacquesvol]

My wife gets a yearly breast exam.

[xHoneyxBeex]

@kheserthorpe Yeah, it is odd.
@jacquesvol Yeah, so do I, at my gynecological annual exam, not by my family practice doctor.

[kheserthorpe]

@jacquesvol from a gynaecologist?

My wife actually asked hers a breast related question once and he told her above the womb was out of his area.

[jacquesvol]

@kheserthorpe
From her gynaecologist

[xHoneyxBeex]

@kheserthorpe oh so you were saying it's odd to get a breast exam at the gynecologist? I don't know where you live but here, the gynecologists deal with everything involving the reproductive system of women and including breasts. You can only get mammograms done in the gynecologists office and they do manual breast exams also during annual exams. This is why I find it odd that a family doctor would be giving a breast exam.

[kheserthorpe]

I'm not shocked it's different there. I know other things OBGYN do in the us they don't do here.

[xHoneyxBeex]

@kheserthorpe Oh okay, yeah I guess it just depends on geographical area then as to what's "normal" when it comes to these things.

[jacquesvol]

Anonymous seems anxious about it but she should do a little math.
If the doctor started his studies after HS he has been seeing naked women every day since then.
Once an obgyn works in a clinic he sees 3 women/hr, 8 hrs a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks/year. that's about 6000/year. If he's been working since 20 years that can be 120,000 women. (and I don't count all his overtime: guard duty, emergencies.)
That guy must be craving to see men, dogs or horses or whatever...

[Anonymous]

He's a doctor. Really? I'm sort of disappointed that you'd even be suggesting what you're implying -.- if you thought he was being a perv or were uncomfortable with it you should have just refused. It's that simple.

[why_not_anonymous]

Doctors and dentists, etc are not superhuman. Check the papers. Some of them are power-tripping, egotists, who think they can get away with anything. And people who give them a free pass for anything they do are part of the problem.

That's not to say that asker is correct, however. But if something makes you go "hmm", it's best to investigate. Not throw accusations, nor to shrug it off and say, 'Naw, that could never happen'. But to take a step back, ask questions, and find information.

[Opinion Owner]

I'm not saying doctors are superhuman I was saying if the person felt uncomfortable she should have said something and if then the doctor reacted in a way that seemed suspicious or not THATS when you suspect something.

[Anonymous]

My wife prefers me to accompany her on all doctors visits, especially if it's a male doctor. Im there for support as she gets nervous and to remember anything important. The regular yearly physicals always include a breast exam. So she gets two a year. One at the gyn and one at the family doc. They are always significantly more thorough at the family doctor. He spends about 3 to 4 minutes total for the breast exam. The gyn (also male) is done in about 30 seconds.

[creativeusername101]

it can be. different doctors do routine exams in different ways. depending on what they think is necessary for that individual patient.

[jacquesvol]

Why not? Breast cancer is deadly: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

Yes he is allowed to give you a full breast examine

[mikebrett1720]

I've heard it's normal for even pediatricians to do them and minor internal exams on teens. There is always a nurse and parent in the room.

[ChristinaM28]

I have had a breast exam as part of my yearly physical for years.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes, it just depends.

[abundantlyrich]

That is not part of it. You have been moolested.