If your Pap test result is normal, your doctor may tell you that you can wait three years until your next Pap test. If you have a low income or do not have health insurance, you may be able to get a free or low-cost screening test through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program.
Find out if you qualify. It can take as long as three weeks to receive your test results. If your test shows that something might not be normal, your doctor will contact you and figure out how best to follow up. There are many reasons why test results might not be normal.
It usually does not mean you have cancer. If your test results show cells that are not normal and may become cancer, your doctor will let you know if you need to be treated. In most cases, treatment prevents cervical cancer from developing. It is important to follow up with your doctor right away to learn more about your test results and receive any treatment that may be needed. If your test results are normal, your chance of getting cervical cancer in the next few years is very low.
Your doctor may tell you that you can wait several years for your next cervical cancer screening test. These changes recognise the introduction of a vaccine against specific strains of the human papillomavirus HPV , which causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection which usually shows no symptoms and goes away by itself.
Persistent HPV infection can cause abnormal cells to develop on the cervix. Over a long time, these abnormal cells may develop into cervical cancer if left untreated.
The new screening program is designed to work together with the HPV vaccination program to help reduce the incidence of cervical cancer.
The new cervical screening test procedure is similar to a Pap smear test. For both tests a doctor or nurse takes a sample of cells from the cervix. However, the Pap smear test used to look for abnormal cells in the cervix, while the cervical screening test looks for HPV infection. The new test for HPV can identify women who could be at risk of cervical cancer earlier than the Pap test could. Women aged 25 to 74 years of age should have a cervical screening test two years after their last Pap test.
Subsequently, you will only need to have the test every five years if your results are normal. The reason the age has changed from 18 to 25 for your first screening is that most women under the age of 25 will have been vaccinated for HPV. In addition, cervical cancer in women under 25 is rare. Having a test for HPV every five years offers the best chance of preventing cervical cancer.
It is a quick and simple test used to check for HPV infection. The new cervical screening test is more accurate than the Pap smear test and the best test available for the prevention of most cases of cervical cancer. Australia is set to become the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health issue.
That is why it is so important for all women between the ages of 25 and 74 to have a HPV test every five years. Cervical cancer mostly occurs as a consequence of a human papillomavirus HPV infection. There are more than different types of HPV, but only a few types that affect the cervix. Vaccines are now available that prevent the types of HPV infection that cause most cervical cancers but do not protect against all the types of HPV that can cause cervical cancers. Try to avoid having sexual intercourse, douching, or using spermicidal products the day before your test because these may interfere with your results.
After that, the test may be more painful. You should also wait until 12 weeks after giving birth to increase the accuracy of your results. Your doctor will slowly insert a device called a speculum into your vagina.
This device keeps the vaginal walls open and provides access to the cervix. Your doctor will scrape a small sample of cells from your cervix. There are a few ways your doctor can take this sample:.
The sample of cells from your cervix will be preserved and sent to a lab to be tested for the presence of abnormal cells. After the test, you might feel mild discomfort from the scraping or a bit of cramping. You could also experience very light vaginal bleeding immediately following the test. Tell your doctor if discomfort or bleeding continues after the day of the test.
If your results are normal, that means that no abnormal cells were identified. Normal results are sometimes also referred to as negative. It simply means that there are abnormal cells on your cervix, some of which could be precancerous.
There are several levels of abnormal cells:. During a colposcopy exam, your doctor will use light and magnification to see vaginal and cervical tissues more clearly. In some cases, they may also take a sample of your cervical tissue in a procedure called a biopsy. Pap tests are very accurate. Regular Pap screenings reduce cervical cancer rates and mortality by at least 80 percent. It can be uncomfortable, but the brief discomfort can help protect your health. The main purpose of a Pap smear test is to identify cellular changes in the cervix, which could be caused by HPV.
By detecting cervical cancer cells early with a Pap smear, treatment can start before it spreads and becomes a bigger concern. You can contract HPV from having sex with men or women.
To lower your risk of contracting the virus, practice sex with a condom or other barrier method. All sexually active women are at risk for contracting HPV and should get a Pap smear at least every three years.
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