Its not a fun experience, but SO important.....they can catch things early that we might have before we even know anything's wrong, like HPV, the disease that causes cervical cancer. One of my best friends went in and had a PAP smear and STD check on a whim one day when she heard about a discount clinic. They found that she was in the early stages of cervical cancer. Luckily they caught it in time and removed it. Now she's getting PAPs every 3 months to make sure she's in the clear.

Not to put fear into anyone with that story, but its SO important for us to see our girly docs once a year! My mom always called it "the annual". I went in to see my doc after my friend's diagnosis because I was behind on getting mine.

As soon as we're sexually active, "the annual" is very important.

Bring a friend for support, try to relax (even though its hard, it makes the exam go more smoothly if you're not tense). Its over in about 20 minutes or less. And it can save your life.

~Rayna