Having a pelvic exam & Pap smear done isnt painful if anything its just odd having someone you hardly know exam your private parts that close.

What Is a Pap Smear?
A Pap smear (Pap test) is a way to look at a sample of cells taken from a woman's cervix. The test is used to look for changes in the cells of the cervix that show cervical cancer or conditions that may develop into cancer.

All women who are or who have been sexually active, or who have reached age 21, should have an annual Pap smear. It is your best tool to detect pre-cancerous conditions and hidden, small tumors that may lead to cervical cancer. If detected early, cervical cancer can be cured.

How Is a Pap Smear Performed?

The Pap smear is done during a pelvic exam. A doctor uses a device called a speculum to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix can be examined. A plastic spatula and small brush are used to collect cells from the cervix. After the cells are taken, they are placed into a solution. The solution is sent to a lab for testing.

Is the Pap Smear Painful?
A Pap smear is not painful, but the pelvic exam may be a little uncomfortable.

When Will I Know the Results of the Pap Smear?
It may take several weeks to get the test results. If you haven't heard from your doctor's office after 3 weeks, give them a call to see if your results have come back.

What Do the Results of a Pap Smear Mean?
A normal Pap smear means the cells from the cervix look normal. An abnormal Pap smear means the cells do not look normal. Sometimes repeat Pap smears are needed. Different tests also may need to be done, such as a colposcopy (the use of a special microscope to examine the cervix and vagina). Pap smears can occasionally show signs of infection but cannot be relied on to screen for sexually transmitted diseases. Other tests are necessary to determine the presence of an STD.There are several things you can do to help make the Pap smear as accurate as possible. These include avoidance of sex, douching and vaginal creams for 48 hours before the test.

What Happens If the Results Are Abnormal?
An abnormal Pap smear does not necessarily mean that cancer cells were found during the examination. There are many causes for abnormal Pap smear results. Your doctor will evaluate the results to determine if further testing is necessary.

Why Would I Need to Repeat the Pap Smear?
A repeat Pap smear may be necessary if you had an infection at the time of the test or if there were not enough cells collected during the test. Since decreased levels of the female hormone estrogen also can influence Pap smear results, menopausal women may need to take estrogen before they repeat the test.

If the results of the repeat Pap smear are still abnormal, your doctor may recommend that you have a colposcopy to further evaluate the problem.

What Is a Colposcopy?
Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix and the walls of the vagina. During the examination, a speculum is inserted into the vagina (as done in a Pap smear). Your doctor looks through a magnifying instrument called a colposcope to detect cervical problems that cannot be seen by the eye alone. During the colposcopy, the colposcope remains outside the vagina. Biopsies (tissue samples) of the abnormal cervical area may be taken.

Colposcopy is not always necessary immediately after an abnormal Pap smear. Be sure to ask your doctor about other options.

How Often Should I Get a Pap Smear?
You should get a Pap smear once a year if you are having or have had sex or if you have reached the age of 21. Some women who have a higher risk of cancer may need a Pap smear more often. Women who have had normal Pap smears for several years in a row, and have had only one sex partner may need the test less often.

Women with certain risk factors, such as being HIV positive (carrying the virus that causes AIDS), a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy, organ transplant, chronic steroid use, or have a history of diethylstilbestrol (DES) exposure before birth, should continue to be screened more frequently.

What Symptoms Should I Watch for Between Pap Smears?
Pre-cancerous conditions of the cervix seldom cause symptoms. For problems to be detected, a pelvic examination and a Pap smear are usually required.

When cancer is present in the cervix, the most common symptom is abnormal bleeding. Bleeding may start and stop between regular menstrual periods, or it may occur after sexual intercourse or douching. Abnormal vaginal discharge is another symptom. Pain is NOT an early warning sign of the disease. These symptoms are not sure signs of cancer. But be sure to see your doctor if any of these symptoms develop.

Do I Need to Get Pap Smears If I Have Had a Hysterectomy?
Pap smears may be discontinued total hysterectomy (removal of the uterus and cervix), unless the surgery was performed for cervical pre-invasive or invasive cancer or other uterine cancers. Women who have had a partial hysterectomy with the cervix remaining should continue to have routine Pap smears. Check with your doctor to determine if you still need Pap smears. Even women who no longer require Pap smears should see their doctor annually for pelvic exams.


Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Web site: http://women.webmd.com/guide/pap-smear

Sexual Health: The Pelvic Examination
A pelvic exam is a way for doctors to look for signs of illness in certain organs in a woman's body. The word "pelvic" refers to the pelvis. The exam is used to look at a woman's:

Vulva (external genital organs)
Uterus (the womb)
Cervix (opening from the vagina to the uterus)
Fallopian tubes (tubes that carry eggs to the womb)
Ovaries (organs that produce eggs)
Bladder (the sac that holds urine)
Rectum (the chamber that connects the colon to the %#@&#!)
When Are Pelvic Exams Done?
Pelvic exams are performed:

During a yearly physical exam.
When a woman is pregnant.
When a doctor is checking for an infection (such as chlamydia, vaginosis, trichomoniasis and others).
When a woman is having pain in her pelvic area or low back.
Do I Need to Do Anything to Prepare for the Exam
You do not have to do anything special to get ready for the exam. When you arrive at the office, your doctor may ask if you need to use the bathroom. This question is asked so that you can stay comfortable during the exam. Sometimes, a urine sample is requested.

What Can I Expect During the Exam?
You can expect to feel a little discomfort, but you should not feel pain. The exam itself takes about 10 minutes. If you have any questions during the exam, be sure to ask your doctor.

How Is the Exam Performed?
During a typical pelvic exam, your doctor or nurse will:

Ask you to take off your clothes in private (You will be given a gown or other covering.)
Talk to you about any health concerns
Ask you to lie on your back and relax
Press down on areas of the lower stomach to feel the organs from the outside
Help you get in position for the speculum exam (You may be asked to slide down to the end of the table.)
Ask you to bend your knees and to place your feet in holders called stirrups
Perform the speculum exam. During the exam, a device called a speculum will be inserted into the vagina. The speculum is opened to widen the vagina so that the vagina and cervix can be seen.
Perform a Pap smear. Your doctor will use a plastic spatula and small brush to take a sample of cells from the cervix (A sample of fluid also may be taken from the vagina to test for infection.)
Remove the speculum.
Perform a bimanual exam. Your doctor will place two fingers inside the vagina and uses the other hand to gently press down on the area he or she is feeling. Your doctor is noting if the organs have changed in size or shape.
Sometimes a rectal exam is performed. Your doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum to detect any tumors or other abnormalities.
Talk to you about the exam (You may be asked to return to get test results.)
What Tests Are Taken During the Pelvic Exam?
A sample of cells may be taken as part of regular test called a Pap smear, or Pap test, to screen for cervical cancer or cells that look like they might lead to cancer. The sample is placed in a solution and sent to a lab where it is examined. Tests also may be taken to screen for sexually transmitted diseases.

How Often Should I Get a Pelvic Exam?
According to the American Cancer Society it's a good idea for women to begin having yearly pelvic exams within three years of becoming sexually active or at the age of 21, whichever comes first. The exam should also include a yearly Pap smear. Some women who have a higher risk of cancer may need to have a Pap smear more often. Women who have had normal Pap smear results for several years and have only one sex partner may need a Pap smear less often. Talk to your doctor to see what is right for you.

Reviewed by the doctors at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Obstetrics and

Web site: http://women.webmd.com/guide/pelvic-examination