You’re a doctor. A patient comes in to your office, 5’3", woman, 175lbs, looks hydrated — you ask her last period date, she says “about four weeks ago.”
Do you now know anything about whether or not she’s pregnant?
Do you think doctors should collect patient history assuming that patients will always give the least informative answers?
Here are some other possible answers: “My last period was 6 weeks ago,” or “I am currently having my period,” or “I am 3 months pregnant,” or “A long time ago. I’m post menopausal.”
Do you think the doctor would be able to know anything about whether these patients are pregnant? It seems like the question can actually give information if you don’t assume the least useful scenario.
But I think we can all agree. If women only went to the doctor exactly 4 weeks after their last period, then it would be a useless question, like you say.
Riddle me this:
You’re a doctor. A patient comes in to your office, 5’3", woman, 175lbs, looks hydrated — you ask her last period date, she says “about four weeks ago.”
Do you now know anything about whether or not she’s pregnant?
Do you think doctors should collect patient history assuming that patients will always give the least informative answers?
Here are some other possible answers: “My last period was 6 weeks ago,” or “I am currently having my period,” or “I am 3 months pregnant,” or “A long time ago. I’m post menopausal.”
Do you think the doctor would be able to know anything about whether these patients are pregnant? It seems like the question can actually give information if you don’t assume the least useful scenario.
But I think we can all agree. If women only went to the doctor exactly 4 weeks after their last period, then it would be a useless question, like you say.