Tips for overcoming cervical checks after trauma?

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So I'm 20F, 36 weeks pregnant with my first baby. Today I had a doctor's appointment for my first cervical check and gbs swab. I knew it was coming, I felt a lot of anxiety about it but I thought I would be okay, but when it came time for me to get undressed i just freaked out and couldn't do it. On top of getting assaulted in a really horrible and traumatic way, I've always been super private about my body, even as a child I had difficulty getting undressed at the doctor's office. I know doctors have seen it all before, but I'm still really scared, and that's only a small part of what's holding me back.

I want to get these things done to make sure my pregnancy is progressing & healthy but it feels like some part of my brain still hasn't learned that it's a safe environment this time.

If anyone has experienced something similar, how did you overcome your fear & anxiety about it?

Posted Aug 21, 2026, 2:38 AM UTC

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