What is a Pap smear?

ASK AN EXPERT

[.highlighted] Q: Dear Teal, [.highlighted] I have not had a pap smear yet. What is it really?

‍

‍

‍

A: A Pap smear is a screening method used to sample the cells of the cervix to test for changes that could indicate precancer or cancer of the cervix. Usually, this is due to an infection with a type of high-risk HPV.  

‍

Here’s what you can expect when you get a Pap smear: When you arrive at the doctor’s office, you’ll undress from the waist down and likely change into a gown. Your doctor or clinician will have you place your feet in stirrups and spread your legs. From there, they will use a speculum to hold the vaginal walls apart so the clinician can access your cervix. They will insert a cervical brush and you may feel pressure as they collect a sample. It’s not a comfortable process, but it shouldn’t take longer than a couple of minutes. After your exam, your clinician will insert the brush into a preservation solution and send it to a lab to look for changes in the cervical cells.

‍

Learn more about Pap smears here.

‍

Back to Q&A

Get Teal Health in your inbox

Liz Swenson, MD, FACOG, MSCP
Medical Director & OBGYN

Liz Swenson is a board-certified OB/GYN who has been providing care to women for more than 20 years. She has learned that women are genuinely interested in their own health and want to understand the science behind their medical conditions. Originally from Iowa, she completed her medical training in Northern California where she still lives with her husband and two daughters. She has worked in a busy multispecialty practice in Palo Alto and has taught OBGYN residents as an Adjunct Clinical Faculty Member of Stanford University. Now, with a focus on helping all women have choices and access to the gynecological care they need, she is excited to use her clinical experience to help improve the lives and longevity of all Teal patients.

‍

Featured articles and stories

This week, the USPSTF proposed updates to the 2018 cervical cancer screening guidelines, acknowledging Primary HPV testing (self-collected or clinician-collected) as the recommended test.
Read more
HPV is very common but remains stigmatized, which can affect how people experience cervical cancer diagnoses and care. To better support health outcomes, we need to rethink HPV risk and move away from stigmatizing sexual behavior.
Read more
Today at the Hlth conference, we’ve announced that we’ve submitted to the FDA and shared results from our compiled report on our nationwide study which revealed that 94% of women – across all demographics, backgrounds, and locations – prefer at-home cervical cancer screening over traditional in-office Pap smears.
Read more

Your experience matters

Signup to be the first to know when we’re available in your state.

Thank you!
Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Cervical cancer screening