Reproductive health is something that is very important for any woman, but is it accessible in our country? And if it is, why are so many women still so reluctant when it comes to visiting their gynaecologist? The answer is quite straightforward: the fear of getting judged. A country where you are judged for doing anything by every other person you meet, the last thing one wants is to be get judged by one’s own healthcare provider.
The gynaecologists in India still need to do a lot of learning and unlearning when it comes to treating the patient with respect. They need to understand that women are already so conscious about discussing their sexual or reproductive health that shaming them for their choices is just going to force them to not seek any treatment for even serious health issues. In India, sexual health is such a taboo topic that instead of asking if the woman is sexually active, gynaecologists prefer asking if they are married—and that just makes unmarried sexually active patients to feel excluded and they even lie just so that they are not judged by the medical practitioner.
If the patients start lying to the doctor’s, how will the treatment even be proceeded? Doctors, especially gynaecologists, need to be non-judgemental and open-minded. They need to make their patients comfortable and heard. That’s the only way women would start prioritizing their sexual health and will seek the necessary treatment and consultation.