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A Woman’s Worst Fear: OB/GYN in Korea post image

A Woman’s Worst Fear: OB/GYN in Korea

Navigating women’s health in South Korea.

I have to admit that when I heard about Park Geun-Hye’s pledge to become the first female president of South Korea, I was flabbergasted: here was a woman running for president in a nation where women have the lowest labor participation rate in the OECD, abortion is still illegal, and the overwhelming majority of men firmly believe that a woman’s place is in the home.

That being said, while Obamacare recently forced American health insurance companies to merely subsidize the cost of birth control pills (which still remain prescription-only), The Pill has remained an over-the-counter, inexpensive medication in South Korea for more than 40 years. When it comes to issues like abortion and contraception, no matter how conservative South Koreans sway (an ever-increasing number of citizens are converting to the Christian faith), birth control pills, condoms, and pregnancy tests have always been accessible and affordable – condoms available only the next subway vending machine away. It’s a fascinating twist in how a society that poo-poohs premarital sex and lacks any government-mandated sex-ed programs has seemed to come to terms with the inevitable occurrence of the act.

However, Korean women who had previously relied on birth control pills were thrown for a loop in May when the country’s Food & Drug Administration suddenly decided to give contraceptive pills and the “morning after” pill a role reversal, making emergency contraceptive OTC and monthly-dosage pills prescription-only. This was, no doubt, more than partially fueled by the government’s cry for more births, as the nation’s rapid gentrification and stagnant desire of families to bear babies have prompted even the United States to give a hoot (only because it threatens economic relations, of course).

Fortunately, after complaints from women’s rights groups and the explosions of netizens, the FDA responded with a proverbial “Gotcha!” and claimed it would stave off the decision for another three years, encouraging more research into the effects of the pills and consideration for their misuse. I’m not really sure how birth control pills can be “misused” – I don’t personally know anyone looking to get high or OD on Yasmin – but it’s possible that with the aforementioned reluctance to teach young girls and women alike about the use and effects of the pills, there could be some women out there who might assume that taking three pills in a row can make up for one day missed (or not…there ARE instructions included, after all).

Nevertheless, laws are only one of many factors that come into play when women take charge of their bodies and their decisions about sexual health. What about their overall disposition towards contraception, their knowledge about it, or their comfort in discussing such issues with family, a boyfriend, or their doctor? How would requiring a doctor’s visit to get The Pill impact the birth rate…or the abortion rate? While various forms of birth control are widely available in pharmacies, visiting a gynecologist is an entirely different ordeal, and the awkwardness and discomfort women feel in the waiting room are compounded by outside pressures from a society that makes contraceptives commodities that are seen but seldom spoken of.

From a movie called The Speculum 여자, 다리를 벌리다, which is about a Korean girl who dreads going to the gynecologist for many of the same reasons outlined in this article.

“Well…isn’t going to a gyno awkward in anycountry?” you might think. This is true, but in South Korea it seemed that there were far more situational influences that contributed to women’s discomfort — primarily if they were not there to actually get pregnant or care for a child. In other words, most women go into a gynecological office with their own premeditated reservations or anxieties, but there is not much about the experience itself that works to dispel that apprehension.

I can only speak of my own experiences, having visited a gynecologist in the United States and a few different ones in Seoul, and I’ve no doubt that being a foreigner probably intensified an already mortifying situation. However, for those who may be planning a visit or extended stay in South Korea – or in any other country that may hold similar views on abortion and premarital sex – here are a few words of advice on what you’ll be getting yourself into.

First of all, do everything you can to secure a visit with a female gynecologist. This has nothing to do with sexual abuse or inappropriateness, and everything to do with the mere fact that a male gyno already has enough trouble speaking to a Korean woman, let alone a foreigner. Within Seoul and most of its suburbs, the language barrier will not be an issue in an OB/GYN clinic. Most Korean doctors in general study from English textbooks, as very few textbooks for Western medicine have been translated into Korean. So even though the doctor may not be able to string together full sentences, he/she will be familiar with terms such as “Yeast Infection,” “Ovulation,” or “Menstruation”.*

That being said, the day that I walked into my female gynecologist’s office for a scheduled appointment, only to find that she was out sick and had been replaced by a male cohort (assumedly, not that type of cohort), was the day I left a grown man speechless for the first time. Though I could tell that he could communicate in English, he stumbled over his words, could not bear to make eye contact with me, and gave me the privilege of the shortest vaginal examination ever. I suppose he accomplished what needed to be done, but not without nearly bringing himself to tears and leaving me to obtain a more clear-cut explanation of my test results the following week with my calm and collected femMD.

Age also plays an important role in how you will be judged based on the reasoning for your visit. A medical issue such as a UTI, infection, or more serious issue like cancer will be of genuine concern no matter what generation your doctor, but those who hail from the postwar era will likely be far less understanding of sexual and contraceptive issues that have arisen out of wedlock, perhaps to the extent that they will outright refuse to write you a prescription. Before I became wizened enough to learn that monthly contraceptive pills were available over-the-counter, I rushed to a nearby gyno in desperate need of the morning-after pill (which is still prescription-only), thinking I was well-armed with my Korean-speaking boyfriend in tow. American sex-ed had beat into my head that one could get pregnant at “virtually any time” of the month, but granny gyno prohibited me – with a look of utter disdain – from a prescription because, based on my last period, “there was no possible way I could be pregnant.” Fortunately, she was right, but that didn’t stop me from gripping my pillow in distress every single night until my next period. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I had to go to this same gynecologist having to request a monthly contraceptive pill. Would she have nixed that proposition as well? I could have just gone to another clinic – no need for a referral under national healthcare – but this would make a new law requiring a prescription for The Pill about as useful as the ban on abortion….which is to say, not much.

When I did finally obtain a morning-after pill (again, all this before I knew I could get a box of Minivlar for 6,000W – about US $4 – from a pharmacy with no questions asked), the pharmacist told me that since it had taken me so long to obtain it that day, I needed to take it “right now”. Yes, right there in a crowded pharmacy with people watching, who probably knew what it was, because what other pill would I be taking so urgently if I did not otherwise look disastrously ill? He also made a point of telling me aloud, and in detail, all of the side effects, in front of the other patrons, so I’m sure that helped identify my “affliction” for those who couldn’t have already guessed.

Lastly, the physical atmosphere of obstetrics offices does not offer solace to unmarried visitors. When I arrived at one, a series of videos played on the screen to try and placate women facing issues with their husbands. All of the videos were cartoon shorts, the first documenting the story of a woman whose husband was just “never in the mood.” Another clip displayed the same woman chatting with her (married) girlfriends about her and her husband’s sex life. Near the door stood a cardboard cutout of a pregnant woman with a thought bubble that asked, “What kind of prenatal care should I consider?” Not a single advertisement for a contraceptive method graced the lavender walls.

Even my young, female gynecologist felt that limiting my contraceptive options was in my best interest, especially since I wasn’t married. When I finally mustered the courage to discuss birth control options (I was hesitant about going on a monthly pill in a foreign country because I did not know what was available, only to later learn that all contraceptive pills in South Korea are foreign-brand), she first recommended that I take Yaz. When I told her repeatedly that I did not prefer this pill because I’d read up on several lawsuits about its side effects (one of which included death), she insisted that it was “the best pill on the market and this was not disputed.” A week-and-a-half later I returned to her with a half-used box, explaining that the side effects had been so bad that the benefits did not outweigh the costs. She then claimed that my “only other option” was an IUD, which posed the slight but horrifying possibility of “tearing through my uterus.” It was only through a close Korean friend that I discovered several brands of mini-pills which could be purchased at my local pharmacy**, simply by asking for them by name. Was it that my doctor was actually unaware of other contraceptive options, or that she thought that, as a foreigner, I was too daft to know she was up-selling me the most expensive ones? (Yaz is the most expensive pill available in South Korea and one of the few that is prescription-only; don’t even get me started on the cost of an IUD.) Either way, I couldn’t help but feel I’d been screwed, and not in the good way.

I was lucky to have a female Korean friend who had studied in Canada, became perfectly fluent in English, and was able to bridge the divide between East and West when it came to sexual matters, but not many Korean women are that open to discussing the subject. Most expats resort to what they believe to be more “foreigner-friendly” clinics in areas like Itaewon or in International Health Care Centers such as the one at Yonsei Severance Hospital. For what it’s worth, I’ve gone down that route as well, and not only was it twice as expensive and three times the wait, but the foreign-born doctor there sent me in circles through various departments for the same tests that took a matter of minutes at a regular obstetrics clinic.

In conclusion, my best advice would be to visit a few clinics in your area until you find a doctor that you feel comfortable with, and keep going back to the same doctor. I found this to be assuaging for both my gynecologist and the generalist I visited, for once they knew who I was (not difficult as I was probably the only foreigner in their clinic), it became easier to build a trusting relationship with them and discuss my ailments with less judgment involved. After all, a doctor whom you are continually willing to pay is far less likely to shame you. Should you encounter a language barrier, here are some useful Korean terms:

Gynecologist office -산부인과
Birth control pills – 피임약
Emergency contraception (“morning after pill”) -사후 피임약
Pregnant -임신 한
Pregnancy test -임신 테스트
Urinary tract infection – 요로 감염
Yeast infection – 효모 감염
Menstruation – 월경

Be strong, fearless foreign female. Believe it or not, sexual health is a universal concern, and while every country confronts it in a different way, researching how obstetrics operate in your “adopted” country is time well-spent.

If you are ever in a dire situation in South Korea, you can call the 24-hour Medical Referral Service at the Seoul Global Center for English information on the clinics and hospitals in your area.

*Always use as many technical terms as you know. Unless your gyno has studied abroad and partied hard on campus, “get laid”, “come,” and even “period” will be gibberish.

** Click here for a comprehensive list of all available pills.

Filed under: Articles, Female Travel, Health, South Korea

About the Author:

On occasion, VagabondJourney.com accepts guest articles in order to cover stories that we are not able to with our staff alone. To guest post with us, contact the editor. has written 27 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

7 comments… add one

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  • Dmitri December 11, 2012, 1:59 pm

    that’s some crazy shit.
    I don’t necessarily believe that women belong in the home, but maybe Korean women married to Korean men who believe that women belong in the home really do belong there? I’m just saying let’s not get conservative about being liberal.
    The government policies are just nuts, everywhere. What the fkuc, I can’t even formulate what I think. That’s for sharing the info tho.

    Link Reply
  • John December 12, 2012, 7:20 am

    Dimitri: How do you have the right to tell other people how they should live their lives? “Belong in the home” -Thats a pretty complex existential question, but I think a motif of this article its consistency with ideas regarding women’s rights.

    What i think is important here, that the author has emphasized is that there is a lack of access to fairly essential, modern medicine. The author made a comment: “overwhelming majority of men firmly believe that a woman’s place is in the home.” There is definitely a conservative attitude in Korea. I don’t think that the author is saying that some women shouldn’t choose traditional roles, rather that men believe something that curtails the way women can exist in the world.

    Ideology as we know it, really does form lives and we see here the examples of how despite many advances such as a woman running for presidency, there is also an attitude which form the base for many of the problems we see here. Such as: lack of access, uncomfortable/degrading experiences with MD’s, foreigner specific issues, and just a general negative vibe that shadows over a pretty complex issue such as womens health.

    So, how is this article being “conservative about being liberal”? What is that exactly?

    Interesting article. I’m sure both useful for those who need it, and illuminating for those who don’t.

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  • Dmitri December 12, 2012, 11:25 am

    The truth is that I’ve been a total donkey and not even read the article with the attention it deserves. Sorry, and please, never mind it, I just spilled some nonsense.

    It is, in fact, a very illuminating article and I hope more people find it, especially ones who need it.

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    • John December 12, 2012, 11:09 pm

      I appreciate when folks admit errors. It makes the internet so much of a better place. Good for you. i don’t do it as much as I should. I also, should perhaps take things a little less seriously sometimes….

      http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

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  • Wade Shepard December 12, 2012, 10:08 pm

    This article really showed the side of something that I wouldn’t ever experience directly — or even think to look into too deeply. Thanks for this excellent window into an aspect of life that us men are totally (and I have to add, gratefully) ignorant of. I would like to say that there are some major drawbacks inherent to being male that could compare with this but I really can’t find any. It seems uncomfortable enough to deal with OB/GYN issues in your own culture and country, but to do so in another — especially one that has insecurities and traditional prejudices about it like Korea — and I have to say that it probably takes a lot of courage to go in for these visits. Then again, this is the stuff of good travel stories.

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  • Elle December 30, 2012, 2:34 am

    Is it possible for the guest writer to reply to my question? I want to know how much Yaz costs in Korea. I need to take Yaz to treat a disease as it is the only prescription medicine on the market that treats it. My insurance does not cover the cost of birth control (even if it is used as treatment for a disease), so I need to pay full coverage. Could you please let me know the cost of a pack of Yaz in Korea? I really appreciate it. Thank you.

    Link Reply
    • Wade Shepard December 31, 2012, 9:38 pm

      Hello,

      You can email her and ask. Click on the email link in her author bio on this page.

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