Doctors generally recommend that women should receive a pap smear and gynecologic exam annually after the age of 18. A pap smear and exam test for a variety of conditions, and when conducted frequently, can help prevent or make it much easier to treat and cure diseases that could be found during the process. To obtain a pap smear, make an appointment with your family physician or gynecologist, or head to a local family planning center.
The Procedure
A pap smear, or pap test, is a simple, painless procedure that is performed by a doctor or nurse practitioner to detect various diseases and conditions.
The doctor or nurse practitioner will administer a lubricating jelly into the opening of the vagina, as well as onto the tip of a speculum, which will be inserted into the vagina. Once inside, the physician will slowly open the speculum to expand the inside of the vagina, allowing her a clear view of the cervix.
With the speculum in place, the practitioner takes a sterile swab and gently scrapes it against the cervix to remove a small amount of cervical cells. The swab is then rubbed onto a glass slide and placed into a sterile container.
Abnormal Cells and Cancer
Upon receiving the sample, a lab technician will examine the smear for abnormal cell growth and the presence of unusual or foreign cells.
If a smear comes back as abnormal, it indicates that the patient has a large number of questionable cells. Abnormal cells can be a good indicator of cancer or precancerous condition, and are ranked by severity on a scale. Her doctor will discuss the course of action with her, which varies by case.
If the cells are abnormal, a colposcopy may be ordered. A colposcopy is an outpatient procedure that involves the examination of the woman's cervix by a special machine that can more accurately gauge the severity and existence of abnormal cervical cell growth.
A pap smear can also detect the presence of HPV, the human papillomavirus. This family of viruses is known to cause up to 80 percent of all cases of cervical cancer in women, so its presence in the body is an indicator that increases the likelihood of abnormal cell growth. If a patient is found to have HPV and has abnormal cervical cell growth, she will most likely be monitored closely over the next few years and may have to receive frequent pap smears.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
While pap smears are often done in conjunction with annual STD testing, the pap smear procedure itself does not test for further STDs. Upon inspection of the vagina and cervix, the doctor or practitioner may notice lesions or warts that could be caused by an STD, but STD testing itself is done separately. When you go to the doctor for your annual checkup, make sure that you tell her that you'd also like to be tested for STDs.
Tags: cell growth, abnormal cell, abnormal cell growth, abnormal cervical, abnormal cervical cell, cervical cell, cervical cell growth
