I (39F) have been to several ob-gyn appointments the last 20 years, and I'm sure that the docs examining me have always worn gloves. A couple years ago I was at the ob-gyn for a followup after having a cyst removed, and the woman who helped me was not my normal gynecologist, but an older woman who said she was a nurse who would be helping me that day. I was a little disappointed because I actually had a lot of questions since the surgeon had put in my report that I have endo, and when I asked my general doc about it he said I didn't need to worry... that I was "cured" after the surgery. I didn't really trust that response, and so I figured I'd save my questions for my ob-gyn.
I've been through a lot with my health, as I have a rare neurological condition that was repeatedly misdiagnosed for ten years, so I often gaslight myself (especially when it comes to medical stuff). So when it wasn't my regular doctor at the ob-gyn, I just accepted it and didn't ask questions. I remember her sayng she was a nurse.... maybe she said nurse practitioner, I can't completely remember. I trusted her though, because my regular doctor must have trusted her, and she seemed nice and knowledgable.
I didn't really like some of the ways my questions were answered, but this was during a time that I was having issues with a recent brain surgery that made me very slow in processing information. Overall, it felt like symptoms I've had since my early 20's were once again being brushed off as age related (like attributing my IIH symptoms to peri-menopause, even though I told her they were from my neurological condition and I've dealt with them since my early 20's).
That part still bothers me, but I'm used to that kind of thing. What really has stuck with me though is that halfway through the exam I realized that SHE WASN'T WEARING GLOVES. It really disturbed me, I can't remember if she washed her hands... I'm assuming she did... but if she's handling me without gloves, wouldn't it be safe to assume she's handling all her patients this way? Couldn't I pick up some sort of infection like this? I didn't say anything because I was caught off guard, and thought, well if she has given me an infection it's too late since she's already performed half of the exam. It made me feel icky and violated, I don't know how else to describe it.
Afterwards, she handed me a bunch of fertility papers/referrals (even though I didn't say I was interested in having kids) and I left, confused, and feeling worried about the hygiene but afraid to ask and not wanting to get her in trouble.
I guess I'm just posting this after all this time because I want to know if this is normal, am I overreacting? How do I start to feel better about this? I haven't been back to an ob-gyn since... not even to follow up and see if the cyst has returned. I'm too weirded out.