Why You Should Go For Pap Smear Screening

Having multiple sex partners can increase your chances of contracting human papillomavirus. A South Charleston pap smear can help your gynecologist screen for abnormal growths in the cervix. This helps your doctor to establish if the growths are malignant or not.

Why would your doctor recommend a Pap smear?

In consultation with your doctor, the healthcare expert may recommend the best time to go for a Pap smear. Though the test has no universal timeframe, your gynecologist may request your first test when you turn 21 years old. Your doctor can ask you to go for the test to screen you for cervical cancer, prevent and check out for changes in your cervical cells. You are likely to ask yourself if your doctor can use a Pap smear to test for HIV. In such an instance, your healthcare provider may combine a Pap smear test and the HPV test to detect the presence of human papillomavirus. HPV is a common STD likely to cause cervical cancer. As a result, your gynecologist can perform an HPV test instead of a Pap smear.

How often should you go for a Pap test?

Though your gynecologist is in a better place to recommend the number of times you can go for the smearing test, the healthcare expert may advise you to go for the test every three years after you reach 21 years of age. You can also consider going for a combination of Pap smear and HPV test if you are above 30 years old. Additionally, your gynecologist may request several Pap tests if he detects risk factors like:

•         HIV infection
•         An abnormal Pap test
•         Having a weak immune system
•         Smoking
•         Exposure to DES, mostly before birth

What are some of the facts you should know about Pap smear?

Going for a Pap smear may fail to be an exciting part of consulting your doctor for an evaluation. Though the test is fast and simple, spreading your legs on stirrups can be uncomfortable and awkward. The following are reasons why your gynecologist will not expect you to cancel your next smearing test.

•         Your cervical cancer symptoms may be vague

You are likely to confuse other gynecological conditions’ common symptoms for cervical cancer. For instance, not all abnormal vaginal bleeding is a symptom of cervical cancer. As a result, a Pap smear may be the best means to confirm your symptoms.

•         HPV vaccination is not a substitute for Pap smear

Though the HPV vaccine protects you from some cervical cancer types, the vaccination does not imply you should skip a Pap test.

•         No one is too old for a Pap smear

Whether you are above 65 years or younger, your gynecologist may request a Pap test, especially if you have an active sex life.

Though a Pap smear can be pretty uncomfortable, it is worth the discomfort. The test prompts your doctor to find and eliminate abnormal cervical cells in your cervix before they turn cancerous. Request a consultation with your gynecologist to know how a Pap smear test can help you.