Abstract

Introduction: To assess the attitude to and perception of transvaginal sonography (TVS) among women of mixed educational status in order to ascertain factors that may prevent them from submitting to transvaginal sonography (TVS) when recommended.

Methods: A Questionnaire based study was conducted in Government Medical College and Hospital Surat. The instruments for data collection were visual analogue scale (VAS), to ascertain patients’ pain/discomfort experience, and a researcher-developed semi-structured questionnaire. The level of pain/discomfort on the VAS was categorized into four on a scale of 100. The categories were: 0–5 (no pain), 6–40 (mild pain), 41–74 (moderate pain), and 75–100 (severe pain).

Results: Majority (50.6%) of the respondents who attained secondary education had positive attitude to TVS. Also majority of the respondents (63.1%) preferred female sonographers. Majority of the respondents (54.1%) perceived TVS as not embarrassing, 78% did not consider it stressful, 96.9% reported that the sonographers were professional, 46.7% felt that a chaperon was needed, 98.4% reported there were enough privacy and 84. 7% reported they needed prior information. Most of the respondents (82%) were willing to consent to TVS in future, 90.5% reported no pain, 8.6% reported mild pain/discomfort and 0.9% reported moderate pain.

Conclusions: Majority of our respondents had positive attitude to TVS and were willing to consent to TVS in future, hence it was acceptable to them. It was however observed that acceptability increased with increasing academic status.