Why Do Women Need Pap Smears?

 If you’ve ever had a Pap smear, you know that the procedure may be uncomfortable, but it’s important not to postpone it. It serves as a vital screening tool to help prevent cervical cancer, which affects over 13,000 women each year.

Cervical cancer was once the most common cause of cancer deaths for American women. Fortunately, because of screening tools like Pap smears, also called Pap tests, rates have dropped by more than half since the 1970s. 

Cervical cancer cells grow slowly, so it’s easy to catch precancerous or cancerous cells early when they are most treatable — if you stick to the recommended screening schedule.  Florida, board-certified OB/GYNs Kenneth Konsker, MD, and Emily Woodbury, MD, and our expert team at Mira Women’s Health & Midwifery in Boca Raton, Florida, explain why it’s vital to your health to get Pap smears and how often you need one.

What is a Pap smear?

A Pap smear is a screening procedure where we collect cells from your cervix. Your cervix is at the lower end of your uterus, which opens into the vagina. We usually perform a Pap smear during a routine pelvic exam. 

To prepare for a Pap smear, you should refrain from having sex for two days before your appointment and also avoid using douches, creams, or vaginal medicines. It’s best to do the procedure after your period, so if you’re on your period the day of your appointment, you should call to reschedule.

After we collect the sample, we send the cells to a lab for examination under a microscope. There is no downtime following the procedure; you can resume your daily activities.

How often do I need a Pap smear?

How often you need a Pap smear depends on your health history, your age, whether or not you have an HPV test with your Pap smear, and your previous Pap smear results. HPV, which stands for human papillomavirus, is the virus that causes cervical cancer. 

Previously, doctors advised women over 21 to have cervical cancer screenings every year. However, medical professionals revised the guidelines after learning how slowly cervical cancer cells grow. 

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), women aged 21 to 29 should have a Pap test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 can have a Pap test alone every three years, a combined HPV and Pap test every five years, or an HPV test alone every five years. 

Depending on your health history and circumstances, we may recommend getting a Pap smear more or less frequently. For example, if you’ve had a complete hysterectomy for a reason other than cancer or you’re over 65, you may not need Pap tests. 

However, if you’ve had an abnormal Pap test, a diagnosis of cervical cancer, or a weakened immune system, you may need more frequent Pap tests.

What do my Pap smear results mean?

Pap smear results take a week or two to arrive. A negative result is good news — it means the test detected no abnormal or cancerous cells. A positive result indicates the presence of abnormal cells (not necessarily cancerous cells), and we recommend that you have another Pap smear or additional testing, such as a biopsy.

It’s important to note that an abnormal or positive result is not a cancer diagnosis. However, if we find precancerous cells, you can feel confident that early detection means early treatment and better survival rates.

If you’re ready to schedule your next Pap smear or want more information, call Mira Women’s Health & Midwifery or make an appointment online. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram.