Would you self-diagnose rather than see a doctor?

New research from healthcare experts Balance Activ has found that 92% of women would do an online search of their symptoms before seeing a doctor, and three quarters of those women rarely or never go on to buy medicine to treat their condition.

The same study found that over a third of 18-24 year old feel embarrassed talking to their doctor about intimate health issues, and 39% said they would cancel the appointment if they found out it was with a male doctor.

Are we being too prudish, or is it a fair enough reason to expect a female doctor when discussing intimate issues? After all, they ARE professionals, so it shouldn’t matter if they’re a man or a woman.

Dr Rosemary Leonard of Balance Activ explained how our feeling embarrassed could be putting us at risk:  “Young women’s hesitation to talk about these issues could be why more than half of women don’t know about some very common conditions such as Bacterial Vaginosis (BV).

“BV is the most common vaginal condition, affecting one in three women, which can be caused by everyday things such as excessive washing or periods.

“It can have serious implications including putting you more at risk of catching an STI after unprotected sex, or increasing the risk of miscarriage or pre-term birth, so it’s essential to diagnose and treat it correctly.”