Pap Smear – Overview, Procedure, Cost, and Results

It is important to go for routine checks of your reproductive health to ensure that the entire system is healthy, especially if you are a woman. The cervix needs to be 100 percent healthy. Going for gynecological pap smears helps to detect abnormal growth, if there is any.

Your health is your wealth. It should always be your priority, including reproductive health. Scheduling regular checkups with your gynecologist allows you to pick any underlying health issue. Early detection means that you will be given proper diagnosis and treatment. Taking gynecological pap smears is critical in all women of all age groups to avoid complications that may come in the future out of an abnormality in the cervical region. 

The first thing that you need to know before going for gynecological pap smears is what it is all about. Therefore, let's define it for you.

What are Gynecological PAP Smears?

If you are a woman, it is hard to tell if you have abnormal cells in your reproductive system that can cause cervical cancer. That is where Pap smear tests come on. A Pap smear test is a lifesaving physical examination that allows doctors to detect abnormal cervical cells in advance.

Pap smears are a lifesaving screening tool for cervical cancer. The test can detect abnormal cells in the cervix before they become cancerous. These tests are performed so that the patient can take preventive measures and avoid getting cervical cancer. These tears are usually done by a gynecologist. To detect these cells, the patient needs to provide a sample of cervical cells extracted from the cervix. Again, the sample collection procedure is done by the gynecologist.

This procedure is normally done to screen cervical cancer. When performing the Pap smear test, most doctors will combine this procedure with an HPV “ human papillomavirus test. When it comes to the causes of cervical cancer, HPV is usually the main culprit. When the results of the test turn out to be abnormal or unclear, it means that the patient may be suffering from another health issue, an infection, or signs of cancer. A gynecological pap smear test is usually done along with the HPV smear test.

 

The process is meant to check for cervical cells that can be cancerous or precancerous. In case the test results show that it is abnormal or unclear, it means that there is a sign of an infection. It may also mean the patient is developing cancer or she's having an underlying health condition. Inflammation or infections may also be detected through a Pap smear test. Gynecological pap smears are also done together with a pelvic exam or HPV.

Importance of Having Gynecological Pap Smears

Together with a pelvic examination, a Pap smear examination is usually performed in women who have reached 30 years and above. The gynecologist may also do an HPV test, which is a sexually transmuted virus that can also cause cervical cancer. The doctor and the patient will decide when to schedule a Pap smear test. They will also consult on how often it should be done. Your gynecologist will advise you to start going for gynecological pap smears at the age of 21. Once you have had the first pap test, the next one will be done 2 to 3 after. 

Women who have reached 30 years and above, should go for the Pap smear test in an interval of 3 to 5 years. The test should be done together with the HPV test in order to detect the presence of the human papillomavirus that also causes cervical cancer. An OB GYN may suggest frequent gynecological pap smears for women who have certain risk factors for developing cervical cancer.

The risk of getting cervical cancer may increase due to these factors:

• If the previous pap test showed that the sample contained precancerous cells or the patient was diagnosed with cervical cancer 
• If the patient is infected with HIV 
• If the patient was exposed to DES such as diethylstilbestrol before birth
• If the patient has a weak immune system that was brought about by chemotherapy, organ transplant, and chronic use of corticosteroid

Gynecological pap smears are no necessary when:   

•   A woman turns 65 and above

When a woman reaches the age of 65 going for gynecological pap smears is not necessary. This is especially so if the previous tests done did not detect any abnormal cervical cells that could cause cancer. The doctor will advise the woman to discontinue pap smear tests. As women get older, the risk of developing abnormal cervical cells that can cause cervical cancer decreases.

 

•          After undergoing a total hysterectomy procedure

Another medical situation that may lead to the discontinuation of gynecological pap smears is when a woman has undergone a procedure known as total hysterectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the uterus and the cervix in the woman. If a woman has undergone such a procedure, then there is no need for a Pap smear test because the cervix is not around anymore for extraction of cervical samples.

Choosing to go for https://www.wilmingtonurgentclinic.com/pap-smear-testing">gynecological pap smears is a good idea because these tests help to detect cancer-causing cells or precancerous cells. The doctor will detect these cells once a sample of the cervical fluids has been obtained. By detecting these cells early, treatment will start immediately, which helps to avoid more complications. 

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