Priya Devanarayan
For decades, female patients undergoing anesthesia have commonly been subject to unrelated, unnecessary, undisclosed, and unconsented pelvic exams in teaching hospitals—violating both medical ethics and personal rights. Despite growing attention to the unethical and legally questionable nature of this practice, only a third of states have adopted legislation requiring explicit consent. Increased awareness and legal mandates necessitating explicit informed consent must be adopted to force teaching hospital compliance with the ethics they proclaim to instill.