Wtf is a pap smear?
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y do u want to know?
a doctor basically sticks a huge q-tip in a womans vagina to check for STD's and HPV( cervical cancer).
A Pap smear is a test where they take cultures of your cervix to test for abnormal cell growth/cancer.
The dr takes a large q-tip and swabs the inside of the cervix to test for STD's, Cancer, and any infections.
What is a Pap test?
The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb) that opens into the vagina (birth canal). The Pap test can tell if you have an infection, abnormal (unhealthy) cervical cells, or cervical cancer.
Why do I need a Pap test?
A Pap test can save your life. It can find the earliest signs of cervical cancer - a common cancer in women. If caught early, the chance of curing cervical cancer is very high. Pap tests also can find infections and abnormal cervical cells that can turn into cancer cells. Treatment can prevent most cases of cervical cancer from developing.
Getting regular Pap tests is the best thing you can do to prevent cervical cancer. About 13,000 women in America will find out they have cervical cancer this year. And in 2004, 3,500 women died from cervical cancer in the United States.
Do all women need Pap tests?
It is important for all women to have pap tests, along with pelvic exams, as part of their routine health care. You need a Pap test if you are:
21 years or older
under 21 years old and have been sexually active for three years or more
There is no age limit for the Pap test. Even women who have gone through menopause (when a woman's periods stop) need regular Pap tests.
How often do I need to get a Pap test?
It depends on your age and health history. Talk with your doctor about what is best for you. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends the following:
If you are younger than 30 years old, you should get a Pap test every year.
If you are age 30 or older and have had three normal Pap tests for three years in a row, talk to your doctor about spacing out Pap tests to every two or three years.
If you are ages 65 to 70 and have had at least three normal Pap tests and no abnormal Pap tests in the last 10 years, ask your doctor if you can stop having Pap tests.
You should have a Pap test every year no matter how old you are if:
You have a weakened immune system because of organ transplant, chemotherapy or steroid use
Your mother was exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) while pregnant
You are HIV-positive
girls basically get swabed for an STD with a huge q-tip. thats all there is to it.
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