by 
The Curious Bag
-
Going in for a pap smear may be a new and scary experience for a woman that has never had one before. The procedure is very common, though, and is part of any good preventative care regimen.
Preparation
Pap smears are most effective when the woman is not menstruating, so the appointment will be scheduled around her cycle. A woman should abstain from douching and having sex for 24 hours before the appointment. Once in the office, the doctor may ask that the woman to change into a loose-fitting gown.
Procedure
During a pap smear procedure, the woman lies back on an examination table and puts her feet in metal stirrups. Pap smears are taken vaginally, and require the vagina to be opened with a speculum so the doctor has space to collect a sample of the tissues on the cervix.
Sample
The cervix is cleaned with a cotton swab and a sample is taken using a small scraper or brush. The sample is put on a glass microscope slide and sent to a laboratory for testing.
Laboratory
The sample of cervical cells is tested for inflammation, abnormal or precancerous cells, and signs of cancer.
Notification
If a pap smear shows signs of precancerous or cancerous cells, the patient is notified that a second sample is needed.
Source:
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC