THINK

attending your pap smear is incredibly important for detecting early signs of cervical cancer. It’s time you stopped avoiding it. Here’s how.

So many women don’t attend their pap smear due to a lack of knowledge surrounding the procedure, fear or embarrassment. Not many young women do, which is worrying. Doctor Clare Morrison, GP and Medical Advisor at Medexpress, offers her seven pieces of advice for getting over your reservations.

1 Know what it’s for

A common misconception is that cervical smears are looking for cancer. This isn’t the case. They’re designed to detect mild changes in the cells of the cervix that, if left untreated, could eventually, usually after several years, lead to cancer. That’s why it’s important to attend regular smear tests, as recommended by your GP. If treatment’s recommended, it’s generally effective at stopping cancer from developing in the first place.

2 Be prepared

On the day of the pap smear, by all means, have a shower or a bath, as it’ll make you feel more confident and less self-conscious. But there’s no need to wash more than you normally would, or use anything other than water and unscented soap. Wear clothing that’s quick and easy to take off.

“There are three possible outcomes. The most likely is that the smear was normal, and you don’t need to do anything until it’s due again”

3 Know what to expect when you arrive

When you get there, you’ll be asked to sit down and talk to the clinician. They’ll want to know when your last period started (if applicable). They’ll also check to see if you’re taking any hormones (contraception or HRT, for example), and whether you have a coil, so they can check this at the same time.

Tell them if you have any concerns, such as vaginal soreness or discharge. Let them know if you’re anxious about the procedure. It may help for you to have a look at the instruments first, and run through what they’re going to do.

4 Don’t be embarrassed

It may seem embarrassing to you, but I can assure you that the clinician won’t be remotely embarrassed. It’ll just be part of their everyday work.

They won’t be fazed by shaved pubic hair or unshaved legs, nor will they bat an eyelid at body piercings or tattoos.

5 Understanding the procedure

The procedure’s quick, safe and painless. A plastic speculum is gently inserted into the vagina and opened a little so that the clinician can see the cervix (the part of the womb that’s situated at the top of the vagina). There are a range of different sized speculums, depending on physical build and whether you’ve given birth, for example. They’ll look for the ‘os’ (the opening in the cervix), and apply a small brush to it, gently turning the brush around a few times, to sweep some of the surface cells onto the brush. Then they’ll transfer the cells to a pot of liquid, which is sent away to the lab for analysis.

All the instruments are disposable, and the clinician will wear disposable gloves, so there’s absolutely no risk of contamination. After the test, you may get a little spotting of blood, but this is usually nothing to worry about.

6 Be aware of possible problems

It’s usually pretty straightforward, but there may be difficulty locating the cervix straight away. They may ask you to put your hands under the small of your back to tilt your pelvis a little. A different-sized speculum may be needed. Occasionally, the cervix can’t be located at all, in which case, another clinician, such as a doctor, may be asked to do it instead. Sometimes, medical problems not directly related to the cervix are detected, such as vaginal thrush. This shouldn’t stop the smear being taken, and treatment can be recommended.

7 The results

There are three possible outcomes. The most likely is that the smear was normal, and you don’t need to do anything until it’s due again. Sometimes, the smear is ‘inadequate’. This shouldn’t be confused with an abnormal smear. It simply means that they didn’t get enough suitable cells for testing, and it’ll need to be repeated. Finally, it could be an abnormal result. This very rarely means you have cancer. It’s much more likely that changes have been detected that require either closer monitoring or treatment at the hospital clinic.