Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Jimskins]

I've never really ranted on here before but I find this unbelievable...

I convinced my Korean fiance to go and get a smear test. She'd never had one and never even heard of it before she studied in England; she's is 31 years old now.

She goes to a public health clinic today and they tell her that the policy is that only women who are married are permitted to have smear tests. She says she can get one at a private health clinic but, really, my god...am I missing something?

Most things in this country I just accept, but this...

[bobbybigfoot]

My gf had a tumor removed from one of her ovaries. They routinely have to probe her to make sure the growths aren't coming back. They use the back door as it's "not policy" to use the front door for a non-married woman. Even though we've had sex, she's too embarrassed to say anything to the doctors and so the treatments continue in the usual "backwards" way.

The job still gets done, but it's proof positive that when it comes to women and sex, this is not a forward thinking country. Men, on the other hand, can use *beep* houses with no shame. It's their right of passage.

Sparkling!

[sobriquet]

[sineface]

I've repeatedly been told by my doctor that I only need to get one every three years, because I'm married. She's an on post doctor, but is Korean and gives me this rubbish all the time. I've tried to explain to her how having a husband doesn't tend to prevent cervical cancer, but she's not wavering.

Perhaps tell your girlfriend to look at various other clinics, or maybe international clinics. It seems apparent that the left hand has no idea what the right hand is doing.

[jeni_escobar]

Well my doc in the US said a while back that the policy had changed, and they recommended the test to be done only every 2 years instead of annually for woman who have never had abnormal results come back. Three years seems a bit long to wait...

I was really surprised when I went to see an OB-GYN here for birth control, and she asked me if I was married. I mean, is it any of her business? I answered her, because I have the "correct" answer. Then she asked what I was using for BC currently, and I told her I wasn't using any because my husband is away. Then she asked, then why do you want birth control? !!! This was in front of everyone, in the hallway of the clinic. Of course, it's because my husband is coming to visit that I wanted BC so it didn't embarrass me.... but is any of that relevant?????

[sobriquet]

[mayorgc]

ok, i'm a little bit ignorant, but how important are pap smears?

I know what they do and all that, but if a woman doesn't get one, how likely is it that she'll get cervical cancer (or whatver else it detects) and get sick?

do all women get smears? is it a new thing? Is it prevalent in korea?

[prideofidaho]

How backwards and potentially negligent.

I've always gone to see Dr. Park the Yonsei International Clinic. She's a wonderful doctor. Respectful, informative and good bedside manner.

It's nice to see priorities are in order at the old public clinic.

[prideofidaho]

[sineface]

[Taya]

Women are encouraged to get a pap smear once a year. Being more or less sexually active doesn't mean you should go more or less often (unless you suspect a problem).

[prideofidaho]

Yearly is the ideal, but women should be encouraged to get them done in the first place, especially younger women who may not be able to be open about their sexual experiences. If you're sexually active, all the more reason to get one done, that's what I meant.

If you've got multiple partners or a regular basis, your chances of contracting HPV increase with every partner you have. There's no place for judgment in healthcare. All that is asked of hospitals and clinics is treatment and preventative measures.

[mayorgc]

do Korean ladies generally get it done? Or is it a foreign concept to them?

[prideofidaho]

Given what's been said, Korean women do get them done, but not till they're hitched.

It's a foreign concept to everyone until they give it a go, isn't it? I don't think it's the same as the Korean 'don't eat or drink anything before a blood test' thing. I've never had to do that before I came here, so to me that's just a difference in procedure. Pap smears are the only way to determine the health of the cervix. The bottom line is that they should be done, there's no harm in doing it (save some minor discomfort), and itcould save someone's life.

[jdog2050]