Importance of Pap Smear Test

Women who have reached the menopausal stage should undergo regular pap smear tests. These tests are medical procedures which can help diagnose the presence of malignant or pre-malignant cells in the cervix region. You can know about any form of abnormalities in the cervix through the pap smear tests which are an integral part preventive health care for women.This test will alert women early on and help them to seek treatment before the problem aggravates.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advocates women who have reached the age of 21 to undertake such tests every three years. If a woman has had no abnormal pap smears for 10 years, she can discontinue the test once she reaches the age of 70.

One of the major causes of cervical cancer is the Human papilloma virus. Other than pap smears which will help in early detection of this condition, vaccines are also available today to help prevent cervical cancer. Factors such as multiple sex partners, smoking and becoming sexually active at a young age can also lead to a higher risk of developing cervical cancer among women.

Pap tests are conducted normally in the doctor’s clinic. It is usually conducted 10-20 days after the start of menstruation. A pap smear can be done by a nurse, midwife, a physician or a doctor’s assistant. The test involves checking of the genital area.

A speculum will be inserted into the vagina for viewing the cervix. A sample of cells will be collected from both the internal and external parts of the cervix through the insertion of cervical brush into the speculum. These samples will then be placed on a glass slide for examination. Though there may be slight discomfort during the procedure, the woman may not experience any pain.

After the sample is sent to the laboratory for interpretation, you can see the results with the details such as whether the sample was satisfactory, whether it was within the normal limits and the recommended follow up procedure required. It takes only a couple of minutes to get this test done but it is invaluable in that it can save millions of lives by helping to detect cervical cancer early on. Therefore it enables women to have the opportunity to look for abnormalities and treat it instantly before it becomes fatal.