What is a pap smear?

Question

I had a baby 3 weeks ago and I asked what my doctor would do at my 30 day check up and a couple people said a pap smear. I am only 14 so I dont no what that is. What is it?

Yes I really had a baby at the age of 14!!!!

I did have prenatal care but they never did one!

Answer 1

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pap-smear/HQ01177

Pap smear: Screening test for cervical cancer

A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a simple procedure that collects cells from your cervix — the lower, narrow end of your uterus. Named after its developer, George Papanicolaou, M.D., the test effectively detects not only cervical cancer, but also changes in your cervical cells that suggest cancer may develop in the future. Detecting these cells early is your first step in halting the possible development of cervical cancer.

Since women started having Pap smears more than 50 years ago, the number of deaths from cervical cancer has dropped dramatically. What was once the leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States now ranks as No. 15. According to the American Cancer Society, about 3,700 women die each year of cervical cancer — a figure that could drop even further if more women had the Pap smear on a regular basis.

If you get regular Pap smears, you substantially decrease your chances of getting cervical cancer. But even if you develop cervical cancer, the chances of a cure are as high as 90 percent — if discovered early. The Pap smear is the best tool to detect cervical cancer in its earliest stage.

To read more, please go to the website. Did you really have a baby at your age? Congratulations. I hope you get the support you need.

Answer 2

A Pap smear is a medical procedure in which a sample of cells from a woman's cervix (the end of the uterus that extends into the vagina) is collected and smeared on a microscope slide. The cells are examined under a microscope in order to look for pre-malignant (before-cancer) or malignant (cancer) changes.

A Pap smear is a simple, quick, and relatively painless screening test. Its specificity - which means its ability to avoid classifying a normal smear as abnormal -- while very good, is not perfect. The sensitivity of a Pap smear - which means its ability to detect every single abnormality -- while extremely good, is also not perfect. Thus, a few women develop cervical cancer despite having regular Pap screening.

In the vast majority of cases, a Pap test does identify minor cellular abnormalities before they have had a chance to become malignant and at a point when the condition is most easily treatable. The Pap smear is not intended to detect other forms of cancer such as those of the ovary, vagina, or uterus. Cancer of these organs may be discovered during the course of the gynecologic (pelvic) exam, which usually is done at the same time as the Pap smear.

Answer 3

did you have any prenatal care? they would have given you a pap smear then too. Just relax when the doctor does this. He should show you what he's using and explain it. They use a little tiny tool to collect a very tiny bit of cells from your uterus. It isn't pleasant but it is not painful!
Just relax! I was scared my first time I had this done. Now after having a baby, you get so much stuff done to you down there it's a breeze now.

Answer 4

I'm sorry to hear you had a baby at such a young age. That's a lot of responsibility at age 14. I hope you have a good support system.

A pap smear is a test to make sure you don't have cervical cancer. They take a slide and take a little scraping of tissue from the cervix. This is done each year to make sure you don't get cancer. It's a little strange or uncomfortable feeling, but not bad. Women's exams are not all that "exciting"... just keep yourself in a calm frame of mind and it goes pretty quick and easy. It's an important safeguard to your health.

My mom had uterine cancer about age 50, but it's one that's easy to get rid of so long as you get tested regularly so that, if it comes, it's caught early.

Since you've been sexually active at such a young age, you have to start being tested earlier than most girls.

Answer 5

A pap smear is a sample of vaginal mucus taken from the cervix with a swab. The mucus in examined microscopically to see if there are abnormal cells present. The pap smear is taken to detect cervical cancer in its earliest stages.

Answer 6

A pap smear is when a Gynecologist looks at your vagina cells to makesure there are no abnormalities. The procedure is not bad and you should have one every year. You lay on a table, with your feet propped. They use q-tips and other supplies to run lab work on your cells. It is not bad at all and highly recommended!!! Take care and wish you well on the test.

Answer 7

well usually they give u one while your w/ child ,but it is where they stick "what looks like a beak of a platypus" metal object in your cooter and open it just a bit only to swab around and make sure everything is in tip top shape. trust me i had a baby when i was 13 a pap smear is nothing to worry about

Answer 8

Ehhh... im not gonna bug you but what are you doing getting pregnant at the age of 14?? My mom once told me what a pap smear was and I think they stick a q-tip type thing up you ******** and pull it out and do some test on it. w\e, doesnt sound fun!

Answer 9

you should know what one is , unless you didnt go to any prenatal check ups with your OB/gyn since you should have had a pap smear at your very first check up.

Answer 10

It is a test in which they go via the vagina,to scrape away the some cells of the cervix, and examine them.It is a preventitive screening for cancer.