Hastings Family Planning
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Your First Pap
Concerned about your first pap test?  Read all about it here!  Additional Questions can be answered by clinic workers.

What is a Pap Test?
A pap test is a simple test that can help prevent cancer of the cervix.  (The cervix is the opening of the uterus.)

How Is It Done?
The Pap test is done as part of a pelvic exam.  It is simple and takes less than one minute.
During the exam, the health care provider:
  • Uses a small brush or thin wooden scraper to take some cells from your cervix.
  • Smears the cells onto a glass slide or places them in liquid.
  • Sends the cells to a lab to be looked at under a microscope.
What do the Results Mean?
Most results are normal, which means that the cells are healthy.  Some tests come back abnormal meaning that some cells in your cervix have changed.  This will result in your needing to return for another pap test to investigate the reasons why it may be abnormal.

When Should I Get a Pap Test?
The first pap test should be performed when a woman reaches 21, or 3 years after a woman begins to have sex.  We recommend women come in yearly for their "annual" visit.  If a patient is on birth control, it is required they return every year to have their prescription renewed.
Preparing for the Pap Test
  • Don't have sex, douche, or use vaginal cream, foam, gel, or deodorants for 48 hours before your test.
  • Don't get a pap test during or a few days after your period.  Wait until all the bleeding has stopped.
  • If you have an infection or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), get it treated before you get a pap test.
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