Should I Be Concerned About an Abnormal Pap Smear?

Getting a regular Pap smear protects you against cervical cancer, which is easier to treat successfully if detected early.

At Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, board-certified OB/GYN Dr. Mary Grace Bridges and her team provide Pap smears, and additionally help patients interpret their results. Dr. Bridges offers Pap smears and other gynecology services from her locations in Odessa and Midland, Texas.

If your Pap smear comes back as abnormal, should you be concerned? And what should you do next? Dr. Bridges is with you every step of the way. Here’s what you need to know about an abnormal Pap smear result.

Pap smears and routine women’s wellness

Pap smears effectively screen for warning signs of cervical cancer. While this test isn’t needed every year, Dr. Bridges recommends regular Pap smears as part of your well-woman exam after you reach the age of 21 years, and until you reach the age of 65 years. With regular Pap smears, you’re forewarned about cervical cancer.

During your Pap smear, Dr. Bridges collects a sample of cells from your cervix, the opening to your uterus located inside your vagina, using a cotton swab and a speculum to hold your vaginal walls apart. The speculum can be slightly uncomfortable, but you won’t feel the swab collecting the tissue sample.

Then, it’s time to send the sample to the lab for screening. The lab looks for any signs of abnormalities in the sampled cells. If any abnormalities are detected, that could indicate cervical cancer.

Dr. Bridges can also combine your Pap smear with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, recommended if you’re 30 years old or older. Some strains of HPV also increase your risk of cervical cancer, so it makes sense to check for this common sexually-transmitted infection (STI).

When your Pap smear comes back abnormal

After completing your Pap smear, you head home and wait to hear back about your results. If your Pap smear returns an abnormal result, your first impulse might be to panic, and assume that you must definitely have cancer. But, you should know that such a high level of concern may not be needed.

An abnormal Pap smear is only the first step toward detecting potential cervical cancer. Dr. Bridges reviews your test results with you, and may suggest additional testing to learn more about your condition and cervical cancer risk.

Some people have a history of abnormal Pap smears. This may mean that you need more frequent Pap smears to continue checking up on your cervical health, especially if you have a family history of cervical cancer.

With Dr. Bridges and the team at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin, your preventive OB/GYN care is a priority. Early detection saves lives, so don’t put off your Pap smear out of fear of getting an abnormal result back from the lab. 

If your Pap smear does detect early signs of cervical cancer, starting treatment sooner rather than later is only likely to improve your outcomes.

Has it been a while since your last Pap smear? You should get a Pap smear at least once every three years. To schedule a Pap smear, or discuss abnormal Pap smear results, contact Dr. Bridges at Women’s Health Partners of the Permian Basin today. You can schedule an appointment online, or call now to book.