Prior to Procedure

• Do not schedule the Pap test during your menstrual period. If possible, schedule it two weeks after the first day of your period.
• Do not use vaginal creams, medications, or douches for 72 hours before the test.
• Do not use contraceptives such as spermicidal foams, creams, or jellies for 72 hours before the test.
• Do not have sex for 24 hours before the test.

Tell your doctor if you:

• Are having your period
• Are pregnant
• Had a previous Pap test showing abnormalities
• Are sexually active
• Have been exposed to HPV or other sexually-transmitted diseases
• Have had abnormal vaginal discharges or vaginal infections
• Have had surgery, radiation treatment , or chemotherapy
• Are taking birth control pills , hormone pills, or using hormone cream

Anesthesia

None

Description of the Procedure

You lie on your back on an examination table. You will spread your legs and place your feet in foot rests. The doctor will insert a speculum, a medical tool, gently into your vagina. A wooden swab, brush, or stick is also inserted. It is used to wipe the walls of the cervix to get cervical cells. The speculum is removed. The cervical cells are placed in a fluid-filled bottle or on a glass microscope slide. The cells are sent to a lab for testing.

After Procedure

After the speculum is removed, a pelvic exam is done. The doctor checks your uterus, vagina, fallopian tubes, rectum, and bladder.

How Long Will It Take?

The pelvic exam takes less than five minutes. The Pap test takes less than two minutes.

Will It Hurt?

A Pap test is generally painless. You may feel some pressure or a small cramp when the cervix is wiped to gather cells.

Possible Complications

None

Average Hospital Stay

None