Pap Smear
What is a Pap
smear?
What are the
benefits of this procedure?
Are
Pap smears 100% accurate?
What causes false-negative tests?
How do I prepare for a Pap smear?
What
happens during the procedure?
What
happens after the procedure?
Are some women at higher risk for cervical cancer?
Also
See:
Cervical Cancer
Colposcopy
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What is a Pap smear?
A Pap smear is a
test that checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. The cervix is
the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Developed over
forty years ago by Dr. George Papanicolaou, this test can help to detect
cervical cancer at an early stage.
What are the benefits of this
procedure?
Pap smears have made
it possible to detect precancerous and cancerous conditions before they
can progress to cancer that could spread to other parts of the body, and
have save thousands of women’s lives by catching cancers before they
spread.
Are Pap smears 100%
accurate?
No. Occasionally,
the results indicate normal cell growth but abnormal cells are actually
present. This is called a false-negative test.
What causes
false-negative tests?
False-negative tests
can occur for several reasons. The abnormal cells may not have been
contained in the sample. There may have been too many or too few cells to
allow an accurate reading. An infection could also cover up abnormal
cells. If a Pap smear is performed on a regular basis, the chances of a
problem going undetected are lower.
How do I prepare for
a Pap smear?
Do not douche or use
vaginal creams for two days prior to the test. Do not have intercourse
within twenty-four hours of the test because it could cause inaccurate
test results.
What happens during the
procedure?
A Pap smear only
takes a few moments and is a part of a routine pelvic examination. You
will be asked to lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet apart.
Your clinician will insert a speculum into the vagina so that the cervix
can be seen. Your clinician will use a special swab, brush, or stick to
wipe off cells from inside the opening of the cervix and from the outer
part of the cervix. These cells are smeared onto a microscope slide and
taken for analysis.
What happens after the
procedure?
If the cells appear
normal, no treatment is necessary. If an infection is present, treatment
is prescribed. If the cells appear abnormal, more tests may be necessary.
A Pap smear is not 100% accurate, so it is always important to talk to
your clinician about your results.
Are
some women at higher risk for cervical cancer?
Women at an
increased risk for cervical cancer include those who:
-
have had more than
one sexual partner or whose partner has had more than one partner
-
were sexually
active beginning at a young age (before age eighteen)
-
have a history of
genital warts
- smoke
from
The Office On Women's Health - US Department of Health and Human Services
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Questions Index
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