Whether it’s a general check-up, a smear test or something a bit more invasive, women are often expected to lie back and deal with it.
But a debate has been sparked about the levels of pain we have to endure after women revealed their experiences having the contraceptive 'coil' fitted. I mean, we birth children, so anything less than that is fine, right?
Figures such as Nadine Dorries, minister of state for mental health, suicide prevention and patient safety - who had to abandon the process half way through - BBC TV presenter Naga Munchetty, professional powerlifter Lucy Cohen and author Caitlin Moran recently shared their own painful experiences, which has encouraged more women to open up.
Like these women, last month I had my first contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) - commonly known as the coil - inserted into my womb.
But I was completely unprepared for what I was about to experience.
As part of a pre-assessment, I was asked to take Paracetamol and Ibuprofen before I arrived and when I asked if it would hurt, I was told it could feel like a period cramp.
The coil is usually fitted in GP surgeries and sexual health clinics and has become an increasingly popular choice of contraception, with some lasting up to 10 years before it needs replacing.
It involves inserting the T-shaped implant into the womb via the cervix, the narrow opening at the base of the womb, and using a speculum to hold it open.
Put off by the prospect of painful cramps every month, I opted for a hormonal-based coil.
But if I knew what I was in for, I’m not sure I would have gone through with it at all.
It is true that it is not the same for everyone, but for me insertion of the coil itself was painful and a shock to the system - which made me gasp for air and jolt as I laid on the table.
But the worst part was the intense cramping and stomach ache which forced me to take two days off work.
I’m no stranger to period cramps but this made me curl up into a ball on my bed and wake up in the middle of the night in tears, desperate for it to stop.
Like many before me, I wondered if this level of pain was normal and I found myself on Google.
On the NHS website it states: “Having an IUD fitted can be uncomfortable, and some people might find it painful, but you can have a local anaesthetic to help."
But not once was I offered the choice of a local anaesthetic and despite asking if it would hurt my fears were met with “it’s just a bit uncomfortable”.
I also discovered that if you have never birthed a child, meaning your cervix has never been opened, the pain can be even more severe.
I’m not blaming the nurses - who were very helpful and informative - but I am personally sick of being prodded and poked and sent home in tears.
This also follows a traumatic experience with a contraceptive implant in 2016, which was inserted via an incision on my arm.
On that occasion I was given a local anaesthetic. But what was supposed to be a quick procedure turned into an hour-long struggle to remove an old implant and replace it with a new one.
My arm was battered and I was left with horrific bruising for weeks after.
But why do women have to endure so much for simply taking responsibility for their bodies and protecting themselves - and often their partners - from unexpected pregnancies?
Why does this responsibility nearly always fall on women - when it literally takes two to tango?
And why aren’t more advanced, pain-free methods or procedures openly available?
Yes, there are ways to take contraception which are pain-free, including the contraceptive pill.
But then women are left with the responsibility of remembering to take a tablet every day and are often subject to hormone changes and side effects.
It’s time to stop presuming that just because we birth children that we can automatically deal with anything less than that.
Maybe it’s time to shift the focus onto men.
We have just found a vaccine for Covid-19, so why can't we develop contraceptive methods which mean they take on more of the responsibility and take away some of our pain?
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