Regardless of what your doctor may do to help increase the accuracy of your your Pap smear, there are things that you can do as well to insure a more accurate test result.
According to the American Society of Clinical Pathologists
(ASCP) - the folks that read your Pap smear tests), along with experts from the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, here's what you can do to insure a better Pap smear result:
1. Schedule your Pap smear at the optimum time - usually two weeks after the first day of your last menstrual cycle. Estrogen levels are highest at this time, making the cell samples easier to read and interpret. Never have a Pap smear during a mestraul cycle.
2. Don't put anything in your vagina for at least 24 hours ( ASCP suggest 72 hours) prior to your Pap smear. This includes vaginal creams ( including yeast infection and other treatment medications), contraceptive foams or jellies, including spermicides, as well as douches or tampons. You should also abstain from intercourse for 24 hours prior to your Pap smear.
3. Never have a Pap smear when you are experiencing signs of a vaginal infection, such as an usual discharge or itching. A yeast infection can be particularly disruptive since it often causes an increase in inflammation and cell changes that can make your test more difficult to read.
4. Ask your doctor where he or she is sending your sample for analysis - and make certain the laboratory is accredited, employing nationally certified cyto-technologists and board certified pathologists.
5. Have a Pap smear every year, beginning as soon as you are sexually active or at least by age 18. Despite common misconceptions, all women, including lesbians and those not involved in any kind of sexual relationship, need an annual Pap smear.
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