What is a Pap Smear Test and Why Women Should Schedule One

Most adult women in the United States have heard of a Pap Smear or Pap Test. They are the same thing and they test for something very important. The Pap Smear is a test for cervical cancer. It is a very invasive exam procedure, but it is something that should be done when you are scheduled to do so. It could save your life.

A pap smear is done during a routine visit to the gynecologist. Cells are scraped from the cervix and then tested to see if there are cancerous cells in the smear. Most women would prefer not to have to get it done, but a Pap Smear during the periods that it is recommended is essential in trying to catch cervical cancer in the early stages. It is something that women know they will have to get when they go for their regular check ups and after a certain age, they are usually required to get it done more often than they did when they were younger. The risk grows as your age does. That is why it is so important for women to take the time and the effort, no matter how uncomfortable it is, to get the pap smear testing done on schedule.

The most amazing fact is that cervical cancer is one of the most easily detectable cancers and it is also very easily treated if caught in time. There are women who have never had a pap smear done in their lives. There are various reasons that women don't bother to get a pap test done. One of the main reasons is that they don't have health insurance to cover and don't have enough income to pay for it. This can make it impossible for some women to get a pap smear and therefore, they can end up dying from something that is so easily prevented. It makes no sense that women should die of this type of cancer, but it happens every day.

The guidelines for the first pap smear are that a woman of age 21 should have a pap smear for the first time. If the she has been sexually active for three years prior to turning 21, she should have a pap smear done. Women diagnosed with cervical cancer have often not had a pap smear done in five years or longer. We often ignore the basic things that we can do to avoid getting deadly diseases. A pap smear may not be the most pleasant things that a woman has to do in her lifetime, but at least it keeps her alive if they find something abnormal in the pap smear. Women who reach about the age of 65 or 70 years old can usually stop having pap smears if they have gotten regular pap smears results since beginning to test.

This is such a routine type of test that there is no point in not getting it done. Being uncomfortable for a few minutes is better than the possible consequences if you don't get it done. It is urged that all women get their pap smears done on schedule to prevent the risk of dying from cervical cancer. If you haven't gotten a pap smear by the time you are 21 or if you have been sexually active for three years, schedule your appointment to get one today. It could save your life. Pass the word on as well.