Life After Puberty
My First Pelvic Exam
After the EXam
After your exam, your doctor will send your Pap smear to a lab where a specialist will look at these cells under a microscope to make sure that the cells look healthy and normal. Before you leave your exam, make sure to ask your doctor about how you can get your results and how long it should take. It may take a few weeks before the results are available.
My doctor tells me my Pap smear was abnormal – what does that mean?
The most important first thing to know is that an abnormal Pap smear does not mean that you have cancer. Pap smears are a highly effective screening tool for changes on the cervix that can (over time) lead to cancers, which is why we do them – we want to catch any problems in the very early stages to prevent them from progressing. Depending on the result, your doctor may recommend a follow-up Pap smear in six months or may ask you to see a gynaecologist in a colposcopy clinic.
Colposcopy is a special type of pelvic examination where a magnifying lens (the colposcope) is used to look more closely at the cervix. Just like with a Pap smear, a speculum is placed in the vagina first, so that the cervix can be seen. Your doctor may wash the cervix with special liquids or stains to make any abnormal areas become more obvious. If there are abnormal areas, they will be looked at more closely - this can sometimes tell us about what type of abnormality it is, and what further management should be. A biopsy (sample of the cells) may be necessary for further diagnosis.
In summary, Pap smears are a simple, inexpensive and highly effective way to screen for changes that could lead to cancers of the cervix. When abnormalities are found on a Pap smear, it is extremely important that they get followed up appropriately, whether that is by having another Pap smear in six months to see if the changes have resolved, or whether it is by having a special examination in the colposcopy clinic. Most of the time, no treatment is needed, but it is important to have the follow up Pap smear to make sure the changes have resolved.
Last Modified: September 12, 2007
