Pap Smear Test: Am I eligible?

A Pap smear test (pap test) is an invasive vaginal test to look for precancerous and cancerous cells oIn the cervix. During this procedure, cells are collected from the cervix and then sent for examination. 

Women within the age range of 25-65 should get pap smear with a human papillomavirus (HPV) screeningdone every five years. Women who are HIV positive or have had an organ transplant should definitely get this test done. HPV types 16 and 18 are the primary causes of cervical cancer. If you have HPV, you may be at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer. 

If you have certain risk factors, your doctor may recommend you a pap test regardless of your age. Women who are sexually active before the age of 21, are more prone to get STDs or STIs such as PID (Pelvic Inflamatory Disease) or HIV etc. And hence are recommended a pap test. 

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If you showed any growth of suspicious cells in your cervix or colon, you are at a high risk of cervical cancer and may need a more frequent screening. 

PREPARATION FOR THE PAP SMEAR TEST

• Make sure you are not menstrauting on the scheduled date of the test. If you are, you may want to reschedule your test.
• Avoid indulging in sexual activity or douching the day before your test is scheduled. These will hinder the results.
• Wait for 12 weeks after labour before you go for a pap test.

Pap smear test is collecting cells your cervix with the help of a spatula or a brush and then sent to lab for examination. Since the test is invasive and scrapped, you may feel a bit of cramping or light vaginal bleeding for some time. But this won’t last longer than a day. 

Relaxing and keeping your body calm is important a pain free test. 

Normal pap smear show no growth of abnormal cells. However, abnormal pap smear may mean that there are abnormal cells, may not always mean cancer but precancerous. These are not always harmful but just mean a frequent screening. Your doctor also may take a tissue sample (biopsy) from any areas that appear abnormal. The tissue sample is then sent to a laboratory for analysis and a definitive diagnosis. Talk to Gytree experts to know more about Pap test.

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WHEN SHOULD I STOP DOING PAP SMEAR TEST?

If you’ve had a cervix and uterus removal or are above 65 and have a normal pap smear history, you may not need to do one again.