Cervix: The lower, narrow part of uterus that forms a canal that opens into the vagina.

Fallopian Tubes: Two thin tubes through which the egg (fertilized or not) travels from the ovaries to the uterus.

Uterus: Also known as the womb. It is the muscular, pear-shaped female reproductive organ inside which a fertilized egg is implanted and a developing embryo and fetus grows.

Vagina: The organ through which blood and tissue pass out of the body during menstrual periods and through which a baby passes during birth.

PELVIC EXAM: The pelvic exam consists of three parts:

1. The External Exam during which the external genitalia are examined for signs of hormonal changes, infection, or cancer.
   
   
2. The Speculum Exam (which many patients call “the pap smear”), in which a device is placed in the vagina to view the cervix and vagina and to take samples. Those samples may include culture for infections or a pap smear.
   
   
3. The Bimanual Exam where one or two fingers are placed in the vagina and the opposite hand is placed on the lower abdomen to feel for the uterus and ovaries. A rectal exam may also be performed as part of the bimanual exam.