1. Get Your Pap ASAP
A Pap smear offers women the only way to detect early cervical cancer, which is the most preventable of the female malignancies and curable when caught early. You should have a Pap smear within three years of having sexual intercourse for the first time or by age 21, whichever comes first. There are varying views on how often you should receive one after that, but the American Cancer Society guidelines suggest having a Pap smear annually until the age of 30, and then every two or three years after receiving three negative results in a row. If you have certain risks factors, your physician may suggest that you continue to have an annual exam after 30.
2. Prepare for the Test
Preparing for your Pap smear will help ensure the most accurate results. To prevent obscuring abnormal cells, avoid engaging in intercourse, douching or using any type of vaginal creams, foams or jellies the two days before your test. Schedule your test during the middle of your menstrual cycle and not during your period. Once the test is over, you can resume your normal activities.
3. The Test
After an initial internal and external gynecological exam, your doctor can perform the Pap smear in his office. You'll undress from the waist down, don a gown and position yourself on the exam table. Pull your knees up and place your feet into the heel rests located on each side of the table. The nurse will strategically place a drape, to make you feel less exposed during the exam. To perform the Pap test, the doctor inserts a speculum into the vagina that, when expanded holds the walls open for a better view of the cervix. You may feel some pressure, the coldness of the speculum and, perhaps, a light pinching. However, this is generally not a painful procedure. She will take samples from the cervix with a soft brush and a device that resembles a small spatula. You may not feel this part of the procedure, although some women describe it as a slightly uncomfortable sensation. Your test result won't be available from the lab for about two weeks, at which time your doctor will notify you.
