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Odile Bagot (Gynecologist-obstetrician)
Following various cases of gynecological violence, several feminist groups have set up gynecological observation courses, which teach people how to examine themselves. An act of resistance useful for women’s health? Or a medical danger? Our gynecologist, Dr. Odile Bagot, gynecologist, gives us her opinion as a caregiver, taking into account the surrounding context.
Never again at a gynecologist? The bashing of gynecologists seems to have taken a new step in recent years. The fault is undoubtedly the various cases of gynecological violence published on the web (under the #payetonuterus) or stories shared between women. To compensate for this lack, networks of feminists have found an alternative: “auto gynecology”or learning to empower care, far from medical offices.
Learn to explore and self-diagnose
This is an article of the World who spoke openly about it on November 4, revealing the creation of numerous internships throughout France. “Miles away from the coldness of the offices to which they had been accustomed”women come to learn how to explore their own intimacy, share their experiences and what they reject (the paternalism of doctors, these painful examinations, etc.) but also and above all to find ways to self-diagnose and find solutions. remedies for their female ailments, whether with devices available in pharmacies, or for some, herbal medicine.
A desire to regain power over healthcare
Although women are often impacted by medical shortages, and the difficulty of finding a gynecologist for some, this movement is as political and social as it is medical, the article recalls. “The objective of this movement from across the Atlantic, disseminated in France by the Women’s Liberation Movement [MLF] then Family Planning was to democratize self-care, from activist networks critical of the medical institution” explains Laïza Maïté Pozza, co-founder of the Gynécée workshops.
However, there are many who still make the difference between regaining control and doing without medicine completely.
“Rather than escaping the traditional circuit of care, auto-gynecology sometimes allows people to re-enter it, helping those concerned to overcome anxiety linked to medical violence, thanks to a process of regaining self-control and confidence to act” declares Aurore Koechlin, lecturer in sociology at the University of Paris-I-Panthéon-Sorbonne and author of La Norme gynecologique (Amsterdam, 2022).
A sort of empowerment of women’s health, according to the daily. But at what risk?
Auto gynecology, “better than doing nothing at all”
Contacted on the subject, gynecologist Odile Bagot, member of the committee of experts, points out above all: there is a very real danger in this practice which keeps women away from practices.
“The real danger is to self-manage your health, without referring to a health professional who has training for this. There is necessarily a loss of opportunity, if you do not go to see a professional who will have a global approach health and not just physical, and who will be able to see something that you don’t know.
But she recognizes a current problem, which she sometimes sees in practice. “These women who adhere to this are often women who have gynecological phobias. The difficulty is knowing how to distinguish the phobia from the violence they have actually suffered. But yes, some women are stuck.”
In this context, self-diagnosis does not shock her, on the contrary, if it allows her to still undergo routine examinations.
“Today we can very well be prescribed a self-sampling to look for the papillomavirusa self-sampling for researchSTIof mycosis or vaginosis, or even a serology test to take a blood test. And we actually have the right to refuse an exam! But in this case, it is still a matter of going to your doctor to receive a medical prescription, which will still provide the opportunity for a discussion” she advises.
And of course be careful about the circles of women you address. “Learning to explore your body is great. But who other than a doctor can tell you if the appearance of your cervix is normal or not? Let’s remember that a gynecologist requires 13 years of study… and a fairly substantial amount of knowledge that none of these circles will really have.