{"id":10040,"date":"2018-01-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-01-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/condition-hpv-abnormal-pap-smear\/"},"modified":"2018-01-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-01-30T00:00:00","slug":"condition-hpv-abnormal-pap-smear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1millionbestdownloads.com\/condition-hpv-abnormal-pap-smear\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does It Mean to Have an Abnormal Pap Smear–and What Should You Do Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Millions of women get a Pap smear or Pap test every year to screen for cervical cancer. (Reminder: The cervix<\/a> is the lower part of the uterus, which leads into the vagina.) The procedure is simple and is part of a regular visit to a gynecologist. A doctor swabs some cells off of your cervix and sends them to a lab where a specialist looks at them under a microscope to determine if they look normal or abnormal.<\/p>\n A bit uncomfortable and sometimes a little awkward, sure. But luckily, most Pap test results come back normal, meaning you can heave a sigh of relief and schedule your next exam years down the road.<\/p>\n However, some 2% to 5% of women who have a Pap test–named after the originator of the exam, George Papanicolaou–will have an abnormal result, says Adi Davidov, MD, director of gynecology and robotic surgery at Staten Island University Hospital. If you’re one of those women, you’re probably more than a little nervous about what “abnormal” really means. Here’s what you need to know.<\/p>\n RELATED: 9 Cervical Cancer Symptoms Every Woman Needs to Know<\/b><\/p>\n For starters, abnormal cells on Pap test results do not necessarily mean you have cancer. “There can be many different reasons why a Pap smear may be abnormal,” says Nazia Munir, MD, a family physician at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “The most common is the human papillomavirus.”<\/p>\n Human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer<\/a>. But testing positive for the virus does not mean you actually have cancer. Around 90% of the time, the virus, which is sexually transmitted, clears on its own, leaving no evidence in its wake. “A lot of times patients have HPV and are completely asymptomatic,” Dr. Munir says. Some may have mild symptoms but still recover completely, Dr. Davidov adds.<\/p>\n When HPV does<\/i> lead to pre-cancerous or cancerous changes in cervical cells, those abnormally growing cells will be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe, says Leslie McCloskey, MD, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and women’s health at Saint Louis University, and your doctor will help you determine the best course of treatment.<\/p>\n What else can cause an abnormal pap smear besides HPV? Other sexually transmitted infections may be to blame, including chlamydia, gonorrhea or, in very rare cases, herpes. Yeast infections<\/a> can also cause changes in cervical cells. All of these can be treated.<\/p>\n In rare instances, even inflammation–perhaps from having sex recently–can lead to an abnormal Pap test result.<\/p>\n Later in life, menopause can produce changes in cervical cells too. “When there’s not that much estrogen, cells can look funny and mimic precancerous conditions,” says Dr. Davidov. <\/p>\n What can cause an abnormal Pap smear?<\/b> <\/h3>\n