Dear Prudence,
I am a 25-year-old female who recently moved to a new city and moved into an apartment with two other women, also in their mid to late 20s. “Emily” owns the apartment and rents out the other two rooms to me and “Jane.” Despite being strangers when we started living together, we all get along rather well and, although we’re not close friends, we do interact and are friendly with one another.
Recently, I noticed that it was time for my annual gyno exam, and being new in the city didn’t yet have a new gyno. So I asked Emily and Jane who they saw and if they liked them. Jane recommended a couple of people but Emily stated she doesn’t have a gyno. Confused, I asked if she got her annual Pap smear and exam from her PCP and she said no, that she had never had one. She explained that she saw a gynecologist one time, when she was in her early 20s and had her first serious boyfriend and was sexually active, but they broke up, she hasn’t been sexually active since and doesn’t see the point in going.
I was a bit at a loss for words at the time, but it has bothered me ever since and I’d like to talk to her about the importance of regular gynecological exams, regardless if she’s sexually active or not. However, I feel uncomfortable because we are not close friends, and I don’t want to overstep. I have convinced myself many times to just let it go—she has a PCP and I assume they would encourage her to see a gynecologist (my last PCP used to ask me if I had an appointment with my gyno if she saw it’d been over a certain time since my last Pap, but I guess I can’t assume every PCP does this). But then the thought keeps coming back that I should say something in case she hasn’t been told why she should have a pelvic exam and Pap even if she isn’t sexually active. What should I do?
— Too Invested in My Roommate’s Health