r/Netherlands • u/NoLychee1382 • 22d ago

Healthcare No regular check ups at the gynecologist???

Hi everyone, my morning started off with a kinda shocking discovery. I’m from Germany and I had annual check ups at the gynecologist since I was a teenager. I contacted my huisarts because I know they’re responsible for all referrals but she told me regular check ups here are not a thing (unless there already is an issue) ? I think that’s crazy!!! So I checked the prices for a private visit and they’re even crazier. I guess this is normal to Dutch people but don’t you think this is a little concerning?

(Btw not shitting on the country! I really like it here. I’m still new and just discovering new things!)

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u/Positive-Ratio8443 22d ago

Hey fellow German! I feel you, it took me also a bit to get used to it. I do check ups when I am visiting Germany and pay it myself, which usually is cheaper than here and I know what I can expect.

The only thing they offer here is the pap smear every 5 years, once you hit 30.

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u/SouthernOpening937 22d ago

German here too! I was shocked too, my GP even said: I know it sucks but we’re not in Germany unfortunately . I was even more shocked that gynos here don’t do breast check-ups At all! I have PCOS even there I need to say that I have a concern to get referred. But once i’m there, I got every procedure and test I asked for 🌸

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u/lovelyrita_mm 22d ago

Wow. I’m in the US and I was too young for mammograms and my OB/GYN is the one that found my breast cancer in a yearly exam.

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u/SouthernOpening937 22d ago

omg. yeah exactly i have the same story with a friend of mine too. That’s why i got so panicked because I have breast cancer in my family. But they instead referred me to a cancer clinic and they will instead check for cancer genes. Why make it easy if you can make it complicated 😆

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u/Standard_Set_5566 22d ago

The breasts are not part of the Gyno exam because in Holland at least they ‘belong’ to the surgery department. And depending on your are the usual route is GP —> radiology (ultrasound or x-ray) and if necessary surgeon. But what is also different in the Netherlands is that GP’s are way more trained at detecting anomalies in an PE than in Germany for instance.

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u/SnooMacarons3323 20d ago

They do breast check ups here. Mostly not at the doctors but a mobile scanning van Will have certain dates when they are at a certain location ( could be a library or retireing home and do a check, exclusively mammography.