An obstetrician/gynecologist gives a woman a Pap smear during her annual gynecological examination, which checks for abnormalities in her cervix. The American Pregnancy Association recommends that women get their yearly Pap smear by age 21 or within three years of starting sexual activity. Several conditions cause an atypical Pap smear, though not all of the causes are severe.
Recent Sexual Activity
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that women getting a Pap smear avoid having sexual intercourse, douching or taking a bath 24 hours before the test as these can alter the result of the Pap smear. If recent sexual activity causes the abnormal results, the woman will have another Pap smear in a few months, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
Dysplasia
Dysplasia, precancerous changes of the cells in the cervix, can cause an atypical Pap smear result. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states that dysplasia has three grades which rate the severity of the dysplasia. For example, mild dysplasia usually goes away without treatment, though moderate and severe dysplasia indicates possible problems. If a woman has moderate or severe dysplasia, her doctor may do another Pap smear or another procedure such as a colposcopy. With colposcopy, the doctor can look closer at the cervix. The woman may have a biopsy done, in which the doctor removes a sample from the cervix and tests them to see if they are cancerous.
Human Papillomavirus
ACOG notes that human papillomavirus, or HPV, is the main cause of an atypical Pap smear. A sexually transmitted disease, some strains of HPV cause cervical cancer and genital warts. The American Pregnancy Association states that in 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the HPV DNA test to be done with the Pap smear. The HPV DNA test detects the presence of high-risk strains of HPV, such as strains 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer.
Other Causes
The American Pregnancy Association states that an infection or inflammation such as a yeast infection can cause an atypical Pap smear. Other sexually transmitted diseases also cause atypical Pap smears such as herpes and trichomoniasis. Genital herpes causes sores around the genital region and trichomoniasis causes vaginal itching and discharge. A doctor will perform further testing to determine the exact disorder that caused the atypical Pap smear.
