For women, pap smears should be a fairly normal part of your medical routine. It’s entirely possible to forget why these are so incredibly important and shouldn’t be missed. Memphis Obstetrics & Gynecological Association is going to take some time to explain why regular cervical screenings are crucial for cervical health.
What’s the Purpose of a Cervical Screening?
A cervical screening is an important diagnostic assessment that can determine abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix, which is used to detect:
- Cervical Cancer: We do our best to detect abnormal (precancerous) cells in the cervix long before they develop into cancer. Early detection allows our doctors to monitor, treat, or remove these cells before more serious consequences arise.
- High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV): Strains of HPV are a common cause of cervical cancer. Your OBGYN will test for high-risk HPV to determine if there’s an active infection, which could cause more significant cervical cell changes.
Detecting signs of these conditions can be paramount to a woman’s health, which is why it’s absolutely necessary to receive these screenings at regular intervals.
If one of these conditions does present itself, it is much simpler and manageable to treat it at an early stage. Later stages will require more complex, invasive treatments like surgery or radiation.
The Screening Process
If you’ve never had a pap smear, you might be curious what this process looks like. It’s absolutely normal to be nervous prior to your first screening, but our doctors will do our best to make this an easy process for you! Always communicate any concerns you have with your OBGYN so that they can better accommodate you during your visit.
- Preparation: We usually conduct cervical screenings every 3-5 years, which can be more frequent depending on your health history or prior results. We recommend avoiding the use of vaginal medications, sexual intercourse, and douching for 1-2 days before your appointment to provide us with accurate results.
- Procedure: On the exam table, you’ll lie on your back and bend your knees toward your chest, which allows your OBGYN access to your cervix. They will insert a speculum into the vagina to gently widen it and allow for visibility. This can be an unfamiliar feeling at first, but shouldn’t be painful. The same goes for the collection of your cells, which is done by gently scraping the cervix.
- After the Procedure: You should be able to return to normal activity after your pap smear. Some patients will experience some slight cramping or spotting afterward, but this should subside quickly.
- Results and Follow-Up
- Normal Result: If no abnormal cells are detected, we will proceed to schedule screenings at normal intervals.
- Abnormal Result: If we detect abnormal or precancerous cells, we might conduct another pap test, HPV test, or colposcopy (a closer examination of the cervix).
FAQs About Cervical Screenings
We receive a long list of common questions about cervical screenings from our patients of all ages, so we want to cover as many bases as we can! Your questions are important to your team at Memphis Obstetrics and Gynecological Association, so don’t ever be afraid to ask!
Q: Are there any risks associated with cervical screenings?
Cervical screenings are extremely common and generally very safe. You have no reason to expect serious complications after this procedure, especially if you have no related preexisting conditions. Q: Do I need to have cervical screenings if I’m not sexually active?
Yes. We recommend starting these screenings around age 21, regardless of sexual activity. Otherwise, you should see us within a few years of first becoming sexually active. Cervical abnormalities can still present themselves without the transmission of HPV, though it’s a much lower risk.
Q: Can I still have a cervical screening if I’m vaccinated against HPV?
Yes, because vaccinations protect against some HPV strains, but not all of them.
Q: What happens during a colposcopy if my cervical screening is abnormal?
A colposcopy is a common follow-up procedure in which your OBGYN uses a magnifying tool to examine your cervix in greater detail. If abnormal cells are found, we will likely take a small sample (biopsy) for further analysis.
Q: Can I get a cervical screening if I’m on my period?
We usually recommend scheduling your screening outside of your period simply because the presence of blood can impact the test results. Light spotting might not be an issue, but be sure to check with us beforehand if you’re experiencing heavy bleeding.
A Proactive Approach
At Memphis Obstetrics and Gynecological Association, we do cervical screenings every single day. It is an instrumental part of any OBGYN’s job, and we strongly recommend attending these screenings as directed by your provider. You can visit your nearest office in East Memphis, Wolfchase, or DeSoto.