AMIGAS Medical Instruments

During an AMIGAS session, it can be helpful to show some of the medical instruments used during cervical cancer screening. The speculum and the cytology brush are used during a cervical cancer screening. A doctor may also use a small tube instead of a cytology brush. You will want to check with your local clinic to see if they can provide or recommend what you should carry with you to show women what medical items are used.

How to Use the Medical Items

Community health workers can use these items to show women what they look like and how they work. The body diagrams show what they look like. The speculum is the instrument that is put into the vagina and opened up so that the walls of the vagina and cervix can be seen clearly. The cytology brush is used to take some cells from the cervix. A small tube could be used instead of a cytology brush to take some cervical cells.

The lesson plans suggest when community health workers might show these items during the lesson. Community health workers could use them at other points in their sessions, too. These items can be helpful visual aids when discussing cervical cancer screening.

Where to Get the Medical Items

Your program may be able to get speculums and cytology brushes from a local clinic or buy them from a medical supply store.