Expert: Norman Solberg - 2/18/2010

Question
Hello,
I am 15 years old and I'm a virgin.
  I want to go on birth control, but according to what I have read I will need a pap smear. I REALLY don't want one. I would be fine with an exam, I just don't want the pap smear part of it.. Is their anyway to get birth control pills without a pap smear

Answer
Hello Hannah,
I don't think you'll need a Pap smear, but you may need to have a pelvic exam and breast exam.  When we physicians prescribe medications that can affect your reproductive system, we feel an obligation to have done at least a minimal exam to be sure that that reproductive system is basically normal.  It would be up to any practitioner that you saw as to how much of an exam they thought necessary.  And perhaps you might find a practitioner that would prescribe the pill without an exam.  If that's really important to you, you could call around and ask.