Should a Pap Smear Be done Annually?

A Pap smear is a test of the woman’s cervix in which a cotton swab or bristled brush is used to take a sampling of cervical tissue, looking for cancer of the cervix and precancerous or dysplastic changes in the cervix. It has been found to reduce the risk of cervical cancer by more than 70 percent.

Current guidelines have women getting their first Pap smear around the age of 21. Before that, it is rare to find a cancer and testing only puts a woman through unnecessary worry over a disease that is not likely to be there. Women in their 20s need to have a Pap smear every two years, according to current guidelines. Those in their thirties who have had at least three normal Pap smears in a row can have a Pap smear every three years. If a woman has had a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons, she doesn’t need a Pap smear as long as the cervix was removed at the time of the hysterectomy. Women can stop having Pap smears around the age of 65 to 70 as long as they have had three negative tests in a row.

Some people are of the belief that Pap smears should be done every year, in part because of the increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, Chlamydia, human Papilloma virus and other STDs. These can be checked for at the same time as an annual Pap smear and can reduce the risk of untreated STDs and subsequent cervical dysplasia. Certain strains of human Papilloma virus in particular can lead to cervical cancer and can be detected early through screening, before HPV turns into cervical dysplasia or cancer.

Patients have a lot of fear around the Pap smear test and avoid it as much as possible because they are worried about STDs and getting cervical cancer. The pelvic muscles can tense up and can make the Pap smear test a difficult one to do. Deep breathing can make sure the doctor can get a good sampling of the cervix for STDs and cervical cells.

Those who believe that a Pap smear test should be done every year believe that this will help a woman be better reminded about having the test and will encourage regular doctor’s visits for prevention of disease and for the treatment of any sexually transmitted diseases that may be present.