Who Needs a Pap Smear and How Often

About 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. It’s cervical cancer awareness month, a good time to check whether you’re up to date on Pap smears. Here’s the lowdown on who should get them and how often we recommend them, so you can make informed decisions and schedule an appointment if needed.

Visit our obstetrics and gynecology experts at Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery in Spring Valley, New York, to learn more about Pap smears for cervical cancer screening and whether you’re due for one.

Pap smear basics

A Pap smear is a diagnostic screening procedure where we take a sample of cells from your cervix and screen them for cervical cancer. We insert a specialized tool into your vaginal to hold it open, swab your cervix, and send the sample to a lab for analysis. Pap smears can detect cervical cell changes before they become cancer.

During a Pap smear, we may also screen for human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that increases the risk of cervical cancer.

Who needs a Pap smear?

Your Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery provider determines if you need a Pap smear based on your age, lifestyle, and risk factors.

In general, if you have a cervix and are between the ages of 21 and 29, you may need a Pap smear at least once every three years.

If you’re between the ages of 30 and 65, you likely need one every 3-5 years, depending on whether you undergo an HPV test during the Pap smear.

Most women older than 65 no longer need Pap smears.

Who may not need a Pap smear

We may determine that you don’t need a Pap smear if you:

Don’t have a cervix
Are older than 65
Are younger than 21

Your cervical cancer risk is low before age 21. Women over 65 often don’t need Pap smears if they’ve never had an abnormal Pap smear and have had three normal Pap smears consecutively within the past 10 years.

However, our OB/GYN specialist will advise you on whether you need a Pap smear based on your individual needs, as the guidelines above are general.

You might need more frequent Pap smears if you’ve had an abnormal Pap smear or cervical cancer in the past or have a weakened immune system.

Schedule a Pap smear if you’re due for one. Contact Holistic OB/GYN & Midwifery today. Call our office or book an appointment online.

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