Pap Smear
Reviewed
A Pap smear is a laboratory test that screens for cervical cancer by looking for abnormal changes in cervical cells. It is a screening test, not a diagnostic test. Finding and treating abnormal cells early can help prevent cervical cancer.
Preparation and collection
Do not have a Pap smear while you are on your period. For 2 days before the test, do not use tampons, birth control foam/jelly/cream, other vaginal creams or medicines, douche, or have vaginal sex. A good time to have the test is about 5 days after the last day of your period.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- A Pap smear does not diagnose cancer. It is a screening test.
- False-positive results are possible: results appear abnormal but no precancerous or cancerous cells are present.
- False-negative results are possible: results appear normal but precancer or cancerous cells are present.
What to do next
Talk with your provider to learn what your Pap smear results mean. If they are concerned about your results, they may perform a colposcopy (an exam using a special magnifying instrument to look closely at your cervix).