What does it mean when your Pap smear is abnormal?
What does it mean when your Pap smear is abnormal?
If your Pap test is abnormal, this means that your sample contained abnormally shaped cervical cells. Most of the abnormal cells found during a Pap test are the result of a cervical or vaginal infection and are not cancerous. Abnormal Pap tests are very common.
Is an abnormal Pap smear a worry?
Most abnormal Pap smear results are nothing to worry about Most women will have at least one abnormal Pap smear result in their lifetime, with an overall average of 5% of all Pap tests coming back as “abnormal.” In most cases, the abnormal result is nothing to worry about, but it’s important to follow up to make sure.
Is abnormal Pap always bad?
A Pap smear is a procedure that looks for abnormal changes in the cells of your cervix. Getting an abnormal Pap smear result is not as bad as it sounds. It might be the chance to take action to prevent bigger problems!
Does abnormal Pap mean high risk HPV?
Abnormal Pap Smears are typically caused by strains of the Human Papilloma Virus, HPV. An abnormal pap smear result does not mean you have cervical cancer. High risk strains can cause more serious cellular changes. Typically, both high and low risk strains of HPV go away within 24 months.
How long do abnormal smear results take?
It can take from 2 to 6 weeks. If you have been waiting longer than you expected, call your GP surgery to find out if they have any updates about when you might hear.
Do doctors call you back after Pap smear results?
What happens after my abnormal Pap smear? After you get the call from your doctor’s office that you have an abnormal pap smear, you’ll come back into the office where you may have a repeat Pap test, or you’ll have a noninvasive procedure called a colposcopy.
What happens if your smear test comes back abnormal?
If your cervical smear test shows abnormal cells, you may have a different test to look closely at your cervix. This is called a colposcopy. Sometimes the doctor or nurse doing the test can see that the cells are abnormal. They may offer you treatment to remove these cells during the colposcopy.
What are the next steps after an abnormal Pap smear?
If your Pap results are unclear or inconclusive, the next step will likely be a colposcopy . A colposcopy is a procedure in which your doctor uses a microscope to inspect your cervix. Your doctor will use a special solution during the colposcopy to help differentiate normal areas from abnormal ones.
What does an abnormal Pap smear mean exactly?
An abnormal pap smear means that there were atypical cells detected on the sample. There are many different categories of test results, ranging anywhere from undetermined significance, mildly abnormal, or highly abnormal.
How common are abnormal Pap?
That doesn’t even necessarily mean precancerous, although sometimes it can. Plus abnormal Pap smear results are extremely common. “Six to 10 million women will be told at some point in their lives they have an abnormal Pap,” Nevadunsky says.
Should I be worried about abnormal Pap smear?
Being alarmed or worried is a completely normal reaction when told your Pap smear is abnormal. An abnormal Pap smear may indicate that you have an infection or abnormal cells called dysplasia. It’s important to remember that abnormal Pap smear results do not mean you have cancer.