How would you recommend preparing for an OBGYN visit?

This is a great question! There are a few ways that I would recommend preparing. First, familiarize yourself with what you should expect at an appointment. Second, take an inventory of what you might want or need going in -- this could be specific questions you might want to ask, concerns you have, etc. For example, you might ask if/when you should get your first pap smear* or whether it makes sense to get an STI test. There is no shame in writing these things down on a piece of paper or on your phone. In fact, it may even take some of the pressure off of you to remember to ask everything. You’ve written it down! Next, consider what accommodations you might find useful, especially if visits to the doctor make you nervous. Personally, I like to ask the healthcare provider to explain what they are going to do before they do it. If you have a history of sexual trauma, visits to the OBGYN might be triggering or especially hard. A small and vague disclosure at the beginning of an appointment, followed by specific requests to make you more comfortable, can make a world of difference: “I have a history that makes these appointments difficult. It would be helpful to me if a nurse or another person could be in the room with me during the exam. To the extent possible, I would like to collect my own samples.” You might choose to practice asking for these things in front of a mirror before the appointment. I’ve found that healthcare providers are understanding and want you to be comfortable. A final point when preparing for an OBGYN appointment is to consider your outfit choice, since you may be asked to take off your pants and underwear for exams.

This could mean sitting down in front of a mirror

*a Pap smear, short for Papanicolaou test, is a routine screening for cervical cancer that people should get every three years starting at age 21.