Pap smear timing can be confusing because cervical cancer screening is not the same for everyone. Our women’s health care at Tempe Primary Care includes Pap smears, HPV testing, and preventive screening for patients in Tempe and Chandler, Arizona. Emily Danielson, FNP-BC is a board-certified family nurse practitioner with experience in oncology, cardiovascular care, and medical-surgical nursing. Women’s health is one of her clinical interests.
What Does a Pap Smear Check For?
A Pap test collects cells from the cervix so they can be checked for abnormal changes. The goal is to find precancerous changes early, before they develop into cervical cancer. HPV testing is different: it looks for high-risk types of human papillomavirus linked to cervical cell changes.
An abnormal Pap result does not automatically mean cancer. It may lead to repeat testing, HPV testing, or another type of follow-up depending on the result and your history.
How Often Do You Need Cervical Cancer Screening?
Screening organizations do not all use exactly the same starting ages or testing strategies. Under the current USPSTF recommendation, women ages 21 through 29 are screened every three years with cervical cytology, commonly called a Pap test. From ages 30 through 65, options include cytology every three years, high-risk HPV testing every five years, or cotesting every five years.
Those intervals apply to people at average risk. Your plan may be different if you have a history of abnormal cervical screening, cervical cancer, HIV, a weakened immune system, certain prior exposures, or some types of hysterectomy.
Your wellness visit is a useful time to check when your last cervical screening was done and whether anything in your medical history changes the usual schedule. Our preventative health care services also include age- and risk-based cancer screenings.
What Happens During a Pap Smear?
During the exam, you lie back on the table while your provider gently places a speculum in the vagina so the cervix can be seen. A small brush or similar tool collects cervical cells for laboratory testing. The sampling is brief, although you may feel pressure or short-lived discomfort.
The appointment can also be a good time to bring up periods, contraception, sexual health, or menopause symptoms if they are relevant to you.
Schedule a Pap Smear in Tempe or ChandlerÂ
If it has been a while since your last Pap test, or you cannot remember when it was done, we can help sort out what is due. Contact us at Tempe Primary Care for a women’s health visit in Tempe or Chandler, AZ, or call 602-283-0080 to discuss your screening history.
