How to Have a Pap Smear

If you’ve started your period and especially if you’re sexually active, you should be seeking out an obgyn you’re comfortable with to be sure you’re receiving the care you need to stay completely healthy. Part of that sort of health care are pap smears. They aren’t fun, but they are critical to determining any problems you might be having in the nether regions.

Find a Doctor You Trust

A pap smear is a very intimate procedure. It’s a bit more than hitting your knees with a rubber hammer. You’ll want to find a doctor you trust. For young girls, this might be a doctor you’ve known for years or a doctor your mother or sister recommends. If you’re most comfortable with a female obgyn, be certain to seek one out. This is certainly not a time for propriety and equal gender rights. Finding a female gynecologist in San Diego or any other city should be straight forward with referrals and contacting practices in your area.

Schedule an Appointment for an Exam

When you schedule an appointment with an obgyn, you probably don’t need to clarify that you’ll need to do an annual pap smear, but it can’t hurt. Remember, the pap smear is a test to determine if any cells in your cervix or vaginal areas are unusual – it’s something you need to be doing every year to maintain your health. The pap smear can check for cancer as well as some forms of STDs.

Wear Comfy Panties

When you arrive at the doctor, go on a day that you’re wearing clean, yet comfortable panties. Your first instruction will be to get undressed and put on a gown in the small examining room. You’ll feel better if you can kick off your clothes and get back into them quickly after the exam is over. Beside, this is the kind of appointment you’d want to be comfortable for.

Take Deep Breaths

Once the exam starts, you’ll visit with the doctor about your sexual habits and lifestyle. Be honest as this information can make a difference in your health. She’ll check your breasts for proper development and any causes for concern. She’ll then ask you to lie back on the table for a quick pap smear. This is the part that most women need to take a deep breath.

After you spread your legs and put your feet in stirrups, the doctor will use gloved hands to carefully insert a clamp-looking apparatus called a speculum. This is to hold open your vaginal walls so that the doctor can see all the way to your cervix, or the opening to your uterus.

She will then use a thin wooden spatula to scrape the cervix. The spatula smears the sample on a slide. Then a long bristle brush on a wand scrapes the inside of the cervix very quickly. The wand is wiped on a slide and fixed with a spray. The doctor removes the speculum and you’re done.

Ending the Exam

The two samples will be sent off to a lab to be checked for any usual cells. You’ll have the results a few days later. The doctor will likely leave the room and the nurse might hand you a pad. The scraping can cause a bit of bleeding and once again you’ll be glad you’re in your comfy panties. Get dressed, sign out and you’re back on your way.

Easy Step By Step Instructions For Getting a Pap Smear

• Make an appointment with a doctor you trust
• Be as comfortable as possible while at the doctor, including comfortable clothing
• Take deep breaths and try to relax while the actually exam is taking place
• Get dressed and wait a couple of days for the results

Warnings, Advice, and Suggestions When Getting a Pap Smear

If you’re menstruating or have had sex without a condom in the last twenty-four hours, reschedule your pap smear. The slides won’t be as clear as they would be on a more normal day.

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