The conventional technique involves collecting cells from the transformation zone of the cervix by using a brush and spatula, transferring the cells to a slide, and fixing the slide with a preservative.
The liquid-based technique allows testing for HPV, gonorrhea, and chlamydia from a single collection..
In a Pap test, a vaginal speculum holds the vaginal walls apart to show the cervix.
Next, a sample of cells from the cervix is collected using a small cone-shaped brush and a tiny plastic spatula (1 and 2).
The brush and spatula are rinsed in a liquid-filled vial (3) and the vial goes to a laboratory for testing.Jun 18, 2022.
For this test, you will lie on a table and place your feet in stirrups.
The doctor will insert an instrument called a speculum into the vagina and open it slightly to see inside the vaginal canal.
Cells are gently scraped from the cervix area, and sent to a lab for examination..
Guidelines for Pap smear testing frequency vary between the United States Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) but is recommended for women between the ages of 21 and 65.
Screening is not a recommendation under the age of 21.
A pap smear result will tell if the cells from the cervix are normal or abnormal.
When the test shows a normal result, patients may have nothing to worry about..
They should also inform the doctor know if they are pregnant or have had the test performed before and had abnormal results or are taking any kind of medication like birth control ..
