While many women dread going to their gynecologist every year for their routine Pap smear, the Pap test is a valuable tool in protecting women from cervical cancer. During a Pap smear, cells are removed from the cervix in a quick, relatively painless procedure and sent to a lab to be examined. These cells are studied for any abnormalities. Abnormal cells could be precancerous, cancerous or simply the result of an infection or recent intercourse.
Instructions
1. Have a Pap smear every year during your annual pelvic exam. There are some factors that you and your doctor can discuss regarding how often you should have a Pap smear after you reach 30 years old.
2. Have an annual Pap smear if you are 21 or older, or if you are younger than 21 and started having sex 3 years ago. If you are younger than 21 and became sexually active 3 years ago but no longer are, you should still have an annual Pap smear.
3. Discuss having your Pap smears done every 2 or 3 years instead of annually if you are older than 30 and have had three consecutive Pap smears with normal results. If during one of these Pap smears you have abnormal results or have had abnormal results in the past, your gynecologist might suggest that you return to having annual Pap smears.
4. Discuss with your gynecologist about eliminating the Pap smear test from your annual pelvic exam if you are between the ages of 65 and 70 and have had no abnormal Pap smears in 10 years and have three or more consecutive Pap smears with normal results.
5. Determine with your gynecologist that you no longer need Pap smears if you had a total hysterectomy that was unrelated to cancer.
6. Have a Pap smear every year regardless of age if your mother had contact with diethylstilbestrol while she was pregnant with you, or if you have HIV or a weak immune system.
Tags: every year, have abnormal, your gynecologist, abnormal results, annual pelvic, annual pelvic exam, annual smear
