While the modern (and sexually active) woman has no difficulty setting up appointments with her gynaecologist for her yearly pap smear, there are still others who neglect this essential procedure for lack of adequate information. Read on for information you have always wanted to know about pap smears, but never quite got the courage to ask.
A pap smear involves the collection of cells from your cervix and examining it under a microscope for any abnormalities. It is called a pap smear for two reasons. First, pap is actually short for Papanikolaou as in Georgius Papanikolaou, a prominent Greek doctor who invented the process. Second, it is called a smear because the cell sample from your cervix is smeared on a glass slide so that it can easily be processed and examined under a microscope. A pap smear is an invaluable diagnostic tool. It is particularly helpful in detecting pre-cancer or cancerous growths as well as other infections in the cervix.
Schedule a pap smear about three years after you first become sexually active. There is no medical value in doing pap smears for women who have never had any sexual experiences. Women’s health experts recommend having a pap smear once a year; if a woman has three consecutive yearly pap smears with normal results, she can have them done every other year.
A pap smear is done on an outpatient basis right in your gynecologist’s office. You will be asked to remove your underwear and lie back, with your feet placed in stirrups. After wearing gloves, the doctor will gently insert a lubricated speculum in your vagina: it is an instrument that looks like a duck’s bill. When the ‘duck bill’ is opened, it will allow the doctor to see your cervix. She will then collect a few cells by gently scraping your cervix with a cotton swab and smear the swab on a glass slide that will be sent into a medical laboratory for analysis. The procedure only takes about a minute and is only mildly uncomfortable rather than painful.
A pap smear should be scheduled about 10 to 20 days after your period, because blood interferes with the results of the smear. If you are taking any medication or suspect that you might be pregnant, you have to inform your doctor before the procedure. Avoid intercourse, douching, antibiotics, tampons, tub baths and suppositories 48 hours before your appointment.
This post was written by Joana Chrystal Ventura-Moises, registered nurse and resident plumbing and shower screen expert.
