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Gynaecology · UK

The pelvic exam - unhurried, and on your terms.

A proper gynaecological examination by a consultant, with time to talk first - and smear, swabs and transvaginal ultrasound in the same visit where they are needed. Female clinician on request, chaperone as standard, stop at any point.

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A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private pelvic examination costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK gynaecology clinics.

In short

Consultation with examination: £250–£450, findings explained the same visit.

Visit type Indicative range
Consultant gynaecology consultation with pelvic examination £250–£450
Consultation + transvaginal ultrasound £400–£700
Cervical screening (smear with HPV testing) £150–£300
STI swab panel £150–£350
Well-woman package (exam, smear, swabs, ultrasound) £550–£950

Your GP provides examinations and NHS cervical screening free of charge, and for routine screening that is often the sensible route - we say so when it is. Private visits earn their fee when you need time, same-day ultrasound, rapid results or a consultant’s continuity for ongoing symptoms.

The problem

Gynaecological symptoms are too often examined in a hurry - or not at all.

Years of pain normalised, bleeding investigated by phone, examinations skipped for lack of time or a chaperone. The examination is basic medicine - done well, it changes courses.

  • Time before touch

    The history decides what the examination is for.

  • One visit, not four

    Examination, smear, swabs and ultrasound in the same sitting where indicated - no cycle of referrals, callbacks and repeat speculum examinations.

  • Comfort is clinical, not cosmetic

    Female clinician, chaperone, smaller instruments, a stop-word, or no internal examination at all - arranged in advance, because a tolerable examination is a better examination.

When it helps

When a pelvic examination earns its place.

The situations we see most, plus the one symptom that must never wait for a routine appointment.

  • Pelvic or lower abdominal pain

    Persistent, cyclical or intercourse-related pain - the examination localises tenderness and guides which scan comes next.

  • Abnormal bleeding

    Heavier periods, bleeding between periods, after sex or after menopause. Examination plus ultrasound is the standard first work-up.

  • Unusual discharge or infection symptoms

    Discharge, itch, odour or pelvic inflammatory symptoms - examined, swabbed and usually treated at the same visit.

  • A lump, bulge or dragging sensation

    A feeling of something coming down, or a lump felt at the entrance - examination grades any prolapse and rules out other causes.

  • Cervical screening due

    A smear with HPV testing, taken by a consultant, at a time that suits you - with the examination done properly around it.

  • Pain or difficulty with sex

    Superficial or deep dyspareunia has findable causes - skin conditions, muscle spasm, endometriosis. A careful examination starts the answer.

  • A well-woman check

    No symptoms, but due a proper review - examination, screening and ultrasound in one visit, with a written summary of everything.

  • Red flag: postmenopausal bleeding

    Any bleeding after menopause needs urgent assessment to exclude womb cancer - a two-week-wait referral or an urgent private slot, never a routine booking.

What the visit includes

Built from parts - only the ones you actually need.

A pelvic examination is not one fixed ritual. Each element is included, adapted or skipped on the basis of your history and your consent.

  • The history - half the diagnosis

    Cycle, bleeding pattern, pain, contraception, screening and sexual history, taken without hurry. Most gynaecological diagnoses are made here, before any glove is worn.

  • Abdominal examination

    A hands-on check of the lower abdomen for tenderness, masses or an enlarged uterus - always the first step, before any internal examination.

  • Speculum examination

    A smooth plastic speculum lets the clinician see the cervix and vaginal walls - the step that allows smears, swabs and assessment of discharge or prolapse. Seconds to a minute or two.

  • Bimanual examination

    Two gloved fingers internally with the other hand on the abdomen assess the size, position and tenderness of the uterus and ovaries.

  • Cervical screening (smear test)

    A soft brush samples cervical cells for HPV testing and cytology - the screening test that has cut cervical cancer dramatically. Takes moments during the speculum step.

  • Swabs and infection testing

    Samples for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, thrush, bacterial vaginosis and other infections, taken during the same examination.

  • Transvaginal ultrasound

  • Examination under adaptation

    Smaller specula, different positions, a stop-anytime agreement, or examination deferred entirely - for anyone with pain conditions, previous trauma or simply anxiety. You set the pace.

Comfort and consent

What to expect - honestly.

A pelvic examination carries almost no physical risk. What it demands is care in how it is done - and honesty about what it can and cannot tell you.

  • Consent, chaperones and control

    Nothing happens without your explicit agreement, a chaperone is always offered, and you can pause or stop at any point. These are not courtesies - they are the standard of care.

  • Discomfort, not pain

    A well-performed examination may feel briefly uncomfortable or pressured, but should not be painful. Say so if it hurts - the examination changes or stops.

  • Spotting after a smear

    Light spotting for a day after cervical screening is common and harmless. Heavier bleeding is not expected and deserves a call.

  • The examination has limits

    Normal findings do not exclude endometriosis, early ovarian disease or other pathology - which is why persistent symptoms lead on to ultrasound or MRI rather than reassurance alone.

  • If examinations are difficult for you

    Vaginismus, pelvic pain conditions, past trauma and anxiety are all common reasons examinations feel impossible. Told in advance, a good clinician adapts everything - including doing less.

  • No routine risks worth the name

    A pelvic examination has no meaningful physical risks. The real risks are a rushed examination, a missed history, or a result that never gets followed up - the failures our process is built to prevent.

  • Your smear result explained

    HPV-negative means back to routine recall. HPV-positive with normal cells means a repeat in a year. Abnormal cells mean colposcopy - a closer look, not a cancer diagnosis.

  • Screening intervals

    NHS cervical screening runs three- to five-yearly from 25 to 64 depending on nation and HPV status.

  • Red flags between check-ups

    Postmenopausal bleeding, bleeding after sex, persistent bloating for more than three weeks, or new pelvic pain with fever need prompt review - not a wait for the next routine appointment.

Reading your results letter

Your results letter in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whatever the visit included, the letter the gynaecologist sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant gynaecologist writing up examination findings

A quiet reminder

Clinical shorthand can read alarmingly - ask your care team to explain it if anything is unclear.

Ask your care team to explain anything that is unclear.

  1. 01 Header

    Why you attended, and what was asked

    The symptoms or screening reason, the key points from your history, and what the visit set out to answer.

  2. 02 Technique

    What was examined and sampled

    Which examinations were performed, what samples were taken - smear, swabs - and whether ultrasound was done in the same sitting.

  3. 03 Findings

    What was found

    The examination and scan findings in plain language - normal where normal, and precisely described where not.

  4. 04 Impression

    The plan

    Read this first: the diagnosis or working diagnosis, any treatment started, results still awaited and their dates, and exactly what happens next.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Symptom-driven gynaecology consultations and examinations are usually covered; routine screening often is not.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about the pelvic exam.

Quick answers on what happens, comfort, who needs one, cost and the GP route.

  • What actually happens during a pelvic exam?

    Three short steps, after a proper conversation: a hands-on check of your lower abdomen; a speculum examination, where a smooth plastic instrument gently opens the vagina so the cervix can be seen and any samples taken; and a bimanual examination, where the clinician assesses the uterus and ovaries with two gloved fingers internally and one hand on your abdomen. The examination itself takes only a few minutes, a chaperone is offered, and you can stop at any point.

  • Does it hurt?

    It should not. Most women describe pressure and brief discomfort rather than pain, particularly at the speculum step. If anything genuinely hurts, say so immediately - pain is diagnostic information, not something to endure, and the clinician will adjust technique, switch to a smaller speculum or stop.

  • Do I need a pelvic exam if I have no symptoms?

    Routine annual pelvic examinations in women with no symptoms are no longer recommended by most evidence-based guidance - the useful screening test is the cervical smear with HPV testing, on its scheduled interval. Where an examination earns its place is when there are symptoms: pain, abnormal bleeding, discharge, a bulge or difficulty with sex. A good well-woman check is built around that evidence, and we will tell you honestly what you do and do not need.

  • How much does a private pelvic exam cost in the UK?

    A consultant gynaecology consultation including examination typically costs £250–£450. Adding a transvaginal ultrasound brings the visit to £400–£700, a private smear with HPV testing runs £150–£300, and a full well-woman package with examination, screening, swabs and ultrasound is usually £550–£950.

  • Can I ask for a female doctor and bring someone with me?

    Yes to both, always. A trained chaperone is offered as standard regardless of the clinician’s gender, and you are welcome to bring a friend, partner or relative into the room as well. None of this needs justifying.

  • How is this different from what my GP offers?

    Your GP can and does perform pelvic examinations and smears on the NHS, free of charge - and for routine screening that route works well. The private difference is time and consolidation: a 45-minute consultant appointment, examination, smear, swabs and transvaginal ultrasound in one visit, results within days, and direct continuity with the same specialist if anything needs treating. For symptoms that have gone unanswered, that consolidation is often what breaks the cycle.

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