20 Apr All About Pap Smear
Tips Before Pap Exam
- Let your doctor know if you’re menstruating because it may affect your results.
- Avoid sexual intercourse, douching, or using spermicidal products the day before the test.
- Relax. Take deep breaths and try to stay calm. Since Pap smears go more smoothly if your body is relaxed.
If you’ll be menstruating on the day of your Pap smear, your doctor may want to reschedule the test, since results could be less accurate. Try to avoid having sexual intercourse, douching, or using spermicidal products the day before your test because these may interfere with your results.
Pap smears can be a bit uncomfortable, but the test is very quick.
Most women feel a slight push and irritation during the brief scraping.
The sample of cells from your cervix will be preserved and sent to a lab to be tested for the presence of abnormal cells.
After the test, you might feel mild discomfort from the scraping, or a bit of cramping. You could also experience very light vaginal bleeding immediately following the test. Tell your doctor if discomfort or bleeding continues after the day of the test.
In this test, the doctor gently scrapes cells from the cervix using a small brush or spatula. The sample is checked in a lab for cell changes and cervical cancer.
What do the results of a Pap Smear mean?
There are two possible results from a Pap smear: normal or abnormal.
Normal Pap smear
If your results are normal, that means that no abnormal cells were identified. Normal results are sometimes also referred to as negative. If your results are normal, you probably won’t need a Pap smear for another three years.
Abnormal Pap smear
If the test results are abnormal, this doesn’t mean you have cancer. It simply means that there are abnormal cells on your cervix, some of which could be precancerous. There are several levels of abnormal cells:
- atypia
- mild
- moderate
- severe dysplasia
- carcinoma in situ
Milder abnormal cells are more common than severe abnormalities.
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Depending on what the test results show, your doctor may recommend increasing the frequency of your Pap smears, or getting a closer look at your cervical tissue with a procedure called colposcopy. During a colposcopy exam, your doctor will use light and magnification to see vaginal and cervical tissues more clearly. In some cases, your doctor may also take a sample of your cervical tissue in a procedure called a biopsy.