I would say that for younger women who are still getting accustomed to their cycle and how it affects their bodies, this can be reasonable. But for seasoned women who should know how their cycle affects their bodies, it’s a rather annoying question to have to answer for literally any doctors visit. If I’m about to have a procedure, then sure they have to make certain. If they have reason to believe there is a correlation with an issue I’m having and reproductive issues, then fine also. But if I’m just coming in for a yearly exam or because I’ve had a sinus infection that won’t go away, etc, this question is pointless and quite frankly none of their business. Especially in today’s political climate in the US, I’d rather they not actively track that unless I have a specific reason to do so medically.
My new doctor’s office is the first I’ve had that didn’t ask. It’s so refreshing. Like, I’m coming in because I suspect I have hEDS. I can bend my limbs weird. Menstruation doesn’t come into it.
I’m just curious, based on knowing how women’s symptoms aren’t always taken as seriously as a man’s during diagnosis.
I just ask it as part of the standard ‘check everything’ mentality. It’s interesting to me how it can be taken as women’s symptoms not being taken as seriously as men’s, because ignoring the downstairs leads to a lot of fuckups in the field. Heck, the paramedic who trained me used to say that you would (and I’m doing my best to remember her quote, but it’s been a while) “miss a significant portion of issues if you fail[ed] to consider the reproductive system in an emergency.” Put another way, the entire reason I’m asking about it is because I’m trying not to lump a woman in with the males and ignore their health.
If I was being taken to the hospital for a non-reproductive emergency and the paramedic asked me when my last period was, I would ask for a different ambulance.
They do it to determine whether someone could be pregnant because if they give you any drugs that could harm a foetus they could be sued. It’s an important question for all parties’ safety.
The last period has little to do with whether someone is pregnant. Why not just ask if someone is pregnant? Would they not give me those drugs if I was unconscious in case it harms a surprise baby? Furthermore, if I’m in rough enough shape to need an ambulance I should hope saving my life comes first, before a pregnancy I might not be aware of, and might not even want.
They’re not going ask if someone is actively dying obviously, but if they’re in a position where they can ask those questions and the patient is able to answer then they could be seen as liable for a miscarriage if they don’t ask and they give something harmful.
It’s about protecting themselves. For example, I was a man working in childcare and I always had to be careful with my interactions with children and to minimise the times I was ever alone with a child as much as possible, because people can and will assume the worst about men in a position of power over children. So I can understand people doing everything in their power to protect themselves, even if they have to ask questions other people may be annoyed by.
It still doesn’t change the fact that the last period date has very little to do with whether a woman is pregnant.
Yes, I understand there is a reason for it borne of a clusterfuck of policy, lack of reproductive education and little respect for women’s autonomy over their own bodies. That’s what the meme is making fun of in the first place.
I live in a country with less restrictive policies on women and get by just fine without being asked this question.
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I would say that for younger women who are still getting accustomed to their cycle and how it affects their bodies, this can be reasonable. But for seasoned women who should know how their cycle affects their bodies, it’s a rather annoying question to have to answer for literally any doctors visit. If I’m about to have a procedure, then sure they have to make certain. If they have reason to believe there is a correlation with an issue I’m having and reproductive issues, then fine also. But if I’m just coming in for a yearly exam or because I’ve had a sinus infection that won’t go away, etc, this question is pointless and quite frankly none of their business. Especially in today’s political climate in the US, I’d rather they not actively track that unless I have a specific reason to do so medically.
My new doctor’s office is the first I’ve had that didn’t ask. It’s so refreshing. Like, I’m coming in because I suspect I have hEDS. I can bend my limbs weird. Menstruation doesn’t come into it.
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I just ask it as part of the standard ‘check everything’ mentality. It’s interesting to me how it can be taken as women’s symptoms not being taken as seriously as men’s, because ignoring the downstairs leads to a lot of fuckups in the field. Heck, the paramedic who trained me used to say that you would (and I’m doing my best to remember her quote, but it’s been a while) “miss a significant portion of issues if you fail[ed] to consider the reproductive system in an emergency.” Put another way, the entire reason I’m asking about it is because I’m trying not to lump a woman in with the males and ignore their health.
If I was being taken to the hospital for a non-reproductive emergency and the paramedic asked me when my last period was, I would ask for a different ambulance.
They do it to determine whether someone could be pregnant because if they give you any drugs that could harm a foetus they could be sued. It’s an important question for all parties’ safety.
The last period has little to do with whether someone is pregnant. Why not just ask if someone is pregnant? Would they not give me those drugs if I was unconscious in case it harms a surprise baby? Furthermore, if I’m in rough enough shape to need an ambulance I should hope saving my life comes first, before a pregnancy I might not be aware of, and might not even want.
They’re not going ask if someone is actively dying obviously, but if they’re in a position where they can ask those questions and the patient is able to answer then they could be seen as liable for a miscarriage if they don’t ask and they give something harmful.
It’s about protecting themselves. For example, I was a man working in childcare and I always had to be careful with my interactions with children and to minimise the times I was ever alone with a child as much as possible, because people can and will assume the worst about men in a position of power over children. So I can understand people doing everything in their power to protect themselves, even if they have to ask questions other people may be annoyed by.
It still doesn’t change the fact that the last period date has very little to do with whether a woman is pregnant.
Yes, I understand there is a reason for it borne of a clusterfuck of policy, lack of reproductive education and little respect for women’s autonomy over their own bodies. That’s what the meme is making fun of in the first place.
I live in a country with less restrictive policies on women and get by just fine without being asked this question.
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