When Should Women Get a Pap Test and How Often?

Doctors generally recommend that women ages 21 to 65 have a Pap smear procedure every 3 years, unless they have certain risk factors. Risk factors would require more frequent Pap smears, and the frequency would be determined by your doctor. These risk factors include:

● A diagnosis of cervical cancer or a previous Pap smear that showed precancerous cells

● HIV infection

● Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth

● Weakened immune system due to organ transplant, chemotherapy chronic corticosteroid use

● A history of smoking

From age 30, women may choose Pap testing every five years if the procedure is combined with testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV).

What Is a Pap Smear Procedure Like?

A Pap smear involves collecting cells from your cervix. During the procedure, a small brush is used to gently scrape cells from the surface of the cervix and the area around it. The cells are then examined for any abnormal growth which could be cancerous cells or cells that may lead to cervical cancer. The procedure could be mildly uncomfortable, but doesn’t usually result in any long-term pain.

How Do You Prefer For a Pap Test?

Doctors recommend these tips 48 hours before your test to ensure that your Pap smear gives the most accurate results:

● Do not have sexual intercourse or use lubricants

● Avoid douching(rinsing the vagina with water, vinegar, or other fluids)

● Do not insert anything into the vagina. This includes tampons, creams, gels, etc.

● Do not use sprays or powders around the vagina

Doctors do not recommend scheduling a Pap smear during your menstrual period as heavy flow may affect the results.

What Happens During The Pap Test?

A Pap smear takes only a few minutes and is performed in your doctor’s office. During the procedure:

1. You’ll lie on your back on an examination table with your legs spread and your knees bent while your feet rests in supports called stirrups.
2. Your doctor will gently insert a device called a speculum into your vagina. This device keeps the vaginal walls open and provides access to the cervix. Some women may feel a sensation of pressure in the pelvic area during the insertion of the speculum.
3. Your doctor will then scrape a small sample of cells from your cervix using a small brush and a spatula. This usually doesn’t hurt, although you may experience some discomfort.

What Happens After The Pap Test?

The sample of cells from your cervix will be preserved and sent to a lab to be examined for the presence of abnormal cells. Find out from your doctor when you can expect the results of your test. After your Pap smear, you can go about your day as usual. It is normal to feel mild discomfort from the scraping or some cramping. You could also experience minor vaginal bleeding immediately after the test. If the discomfort or bleeding continues after the day, inform your doctor.

What Do The Results of a Pap Smear Mean?

There are two possible results from a Pap smear; normal or abnormal.

Normal Pap smear: A normal or negative pap smear result means that no abnormal cells were spotted. If your results are normal, your next Pap smear is recommended to be in three years.

Abnormal Pap smear: An abnormal Pap smear result doesn’t always mean you have cancer. It just means that there are abnormal cells on your cervix, and some of them could be precancerous. Milder abnormal cells are more common than severe abnormalities.

Are Pap Smear Results Accurate?

Pap tests are very accurate. Regular Pap tests reduce cervical cancer rates and mortality by at least 80 percent. Although Pap smears can be uncomfortable, the brief discomfort is a small price to pay to protect your health for life.

Our final words,

Pap Smear (Pap smear test) is still a rising phenomenon among women, especially women living in Nigeria. However, as we help to spread the word about the importance of it, we’re also encouraging women who fall under the age group mentioned above from 21 years and above to get a pap smear.

On the DRO Health app, we offer pap smears with our women standard health bundle for N23,300. Visit www.drohealth.com today to book and schedule a session with a doctor today. The first step to beating cervical cancer is getting a pap smear, so start today.

The post Pap Smear Tests and Why It’s Important for Women. appeared first on DRO Health.

In Nigeria, the annual recorded number of cervical cancer cases are 12,075 while 7,968 cases lead to deaths. Unfortunately, most sexually active men and women have already been exposed to HPV infection. There are over 100 different types of HPV but the low risk types cause no health danger. However, there are medically tested vaccines that can prevent HPV from being contracted.

HPV (types 6 & 11) are major causes of genital warts, but they are regarded as low-risk HPV. While HPV (types 16 & 18) are the major causes of HPV related cancers and are regarded as high-risk HPV. Medically, there is currently no cure for HPV but there is a vaccine that can prevent infection and help to keep you safe. Also, regular HPV screening can help detect infection early and manage/prevent complications.

What are the causes of Human Papillomavirus (HPV)?

As mentioned earlier, HPV infection is transmitted through sexual intercourse including oral sex. It is passed through skin-to-skin contact and you can contract HPV even though your partner shows no symptoms.

Apart from sexually Transmitted HPV infections, a pregnant woman can transfer HPV to her baby during child birth; however this happens in rare cases. This makes the child to develop a respiratory issue called Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis, where the child has HPV related warts in their throat or airways.

What are the symptoms of Human Papillomavirus?

Most sexually active people have had common HPV at some point in their lives and it disappears after two years without any symptoms. While HPV has no major symptoms, it only shows other symptoms when it has caused another life threatening problem like cancer. For this reason, it is medically advisable to take regular HPV tests early enough or get the vaccine. You should speak to a doctor on the DRO Health app if you notice any growth around your genital area. Early detection and regular tests can help to prevent future complications.

What are the prevention methods to avoid contracting Human Papillomavirus?

• Get a HPV vaccine.

Getting HPV vaccinated protects you from any HPV related issues. However vaccination is not advised for adults older than 26 years. If you decide that you want to take the vaccine and you’re older than 26, you should speak to a doctor first to get a professional view. Vaccines work best for people between the ages of 9-25 years. You can book to get the HPV vaccine on the DRO Health app.

• Get screened for cervical cancer.

For women aged 30-65 years, regular cervical cancer screening tests can help to identify HPV infection early enough before it becomes a case of cancer. If you get an abnormal pap test result, you should speak to a doctor immediately to get advise on the next steps to take.

• Always stay safe and protected during sexual intercourse.

The best way to stay safe while having sex is to use a condom. Although condoms do not fully protect against HPV, because it can infect areas that are not covered by condom. However safe sexual practices, early screening and vaccination can protect one from HPV.

There are many types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), some go away on their own, while other types cause serious health challenges. The best way to avoid contracting a threatening type of HPV is to get vaccinated. The HPV vaccine serves as a preventive measure for every form of the virus. On the DRO Health app, you can book for the HPV vaccine or a cervical cancer screening test. Simply visit www.drohealth.com to download the app and get started.

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