For any woman fearing the Pap Smear
72Pap smear
For any woman who is afraid of getting poked and prodded, it contributes to an irrational fear of her gynecologist. Especially one of which there is a strange doctor poking something into a private area of the body. I can attest that I have survived my gynecologist and the dreaded pap smear. I’ll attmept to explain the procedure and its benefits in as tasteful a manner as possible. Papanicolaou test is administered to detect the premalignant and malignant processes in the ecocervix. The test itself gathers cells from the cervix at the end of the uterus. It’s effective in its means of detecting precancerous or cancerous cells. For women who are sexually active, you should regularly see a gynecologist for a pap smear at least annually. It’s called “pap smear” because it’s an abbreviation of the name of the guy who invited it (Georgios Papanikolaou) and because they have to smear the cells on a microscopic slide to examine it.
You should not go in for a pap smear while you are menstruating. They say the best time to go for the examination is from 10 to 20 days after your cycle is off. You can, however, go for an examination while pregnant. Because you want the doctor to find any cancerous cells you should avoid douching or vaginal creams. Stationed on your back as if giving birth, first the doctor exams your outer genitals and rectal areas. A speculum is inserted into the vaginal canal allowing the doctor to view the cervix. After mucus is cleared away, a cervical brush is inserted and twirled around to collect the endocervical cells and a second sample is taken of the ectocervical cells. Afterward you receive the bimanual pelvic exam where two fingers are inserted to the vagina and the other hand is used to examine the ovaries and uterus. Now for the million dollar question – does it hurt? No, it’s quick and relatively painless. It’s not like you won’t feel something with someone cranking you up like an old car. I had a female gynecologist, but some women feel more comfortable with a male doctor – to each, her own. It’s not as unpleasant as it sounds, and it’s over before you know it. It may seem like a violation, but it’s essential and could potentially save your life.
- Medical Net
For further reading on the benefits of having a pap smear. - Wikipedia
Article on Wikipedia about the Pap test.
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Comments
I was refused the Pill many years ago.
As a low risk woman, I choose not to have pap smears. I was told by several doctors that I had to have pap smears and the Pills would be held until I agreed...
As a law student, I knew that couldn't be right. I knew informed consent was required for all cancer screening. Every person has the right to unbiased facts and then they make a decision having regard to their risk profile. To suggest women had no rights was absurd...
My lecturer drafted a letter for me and my script was immediately released...
Doctors know they can't do this, it's a try-on, don't fall for it.
If you look at the risk of this cancer, it is tiny for a low risk woman and small for a high risk woman. I have no interest in an intimate exam that so often produces false positives and sends women for very unpleasant and harmful biopsies and treatments. I'm not interested when the risk of the cancer is close to zero and the threat of over-treatment incredibly high...
No deal...
Women should not be deceived and misled - we're more likely to protect our health and make the right decision with the facts, all of them. Anything less is disrespectful and unethical.
You don't need pelvic or pap for birth control pills - use the HOPE plan at Planned Parenthood.
These exams have nothing to do with the safe use of the Pill - it was just a tactic to force women to have these exams and test.
US women wake up!
Routine gyn exams are NOT recommended or carried out in other countries - they ARE unnecessary in healthy women.
One Australian Dr told me they can be harmful. (anxiety, pain/discomfort, psychological problems, false positives, further unnecessary and possibly harmful testing)
I will never have another routine gyn exam.
I will take the advice of overseas doctors - our doctors don't care about our health....they are MUCH more likely to harm us with all this unnecessary testing and invasive exams.
No you are NOT free to decline. I was forced into pap smears to get my birth control pills. FORCED. you have free choice to get an abortion but you MUST have a pap smear to get your birth control pills (that was 25 years ago) My doctor was a female. Male doctors are more likely to not force you into a pap smear. A few weeks ago I went to a new doctor for a dog bite on my finger. I have not had a physical for 8 years and she suggested I should get one. I told her I had no desire for a pap smear and she was adament I have one. She said they are still REQUIRED for birth control plls. I told her I actually felt that abnormal invasive procedures like pap smears probably caused cell abnomalitys, greater access to the area for viruses and bacteria and actually may cause the cancer. I may be nuts but that is what my own feelings tell me. Both my sisters have had multiple false positives which then led to biopsies! which were negative.... what is the deal? My older sister was told her false positives with pap smears were caused by condoms... There is a lot they do not know. Why in the world are they sooooo pap smear happy? Big Money maker I guess. Anyway, because I have this belief that pap smears cause cancer,, even if I am nuts, I have not had a physical for several years, because I can't find a doctor who will not do normal blood work and a regular physical without the pap smear.I quit taking birth control pills for the same reason 20 years ago.
You missed a very important point - women are free to decline any and all exams - we don't have to submit if we decide otherwise...
I think it's disgraceful that women are given virtually no risk information for cervical screening and mammograms - we're brainwashed into thinking these tests are beneficial for every woman with no risks - INCORRECT....
Women are not able to provide informed consent for pap smears because risk information is withheld, we're pressured and frightened into them or they're "required" to get birth control pills.
This is IMO disrespectful to women and an abuse of our rights.
We should be entitled to consider risks v benefits and our individual risk profile.
Our decison should then be respected and accepted...
Women need to do their own reading - I did 30 years ago and declined pap smears. It was an easy decision - the risks far outweighed the benefits...my Dr dropped the hysterics when it became clear I'd done my homework!
Over the years I've seen many women harmed by this unreliable test....some left with permanent damage to the cervix and traumatized by false positives and colposcopies/biopsies.
Cervical cancer is uncommon and the smear is an unreliable test which means lots of false positives and some false negatives. The lifetime risk of colposcopy and biopsies (very unpleasant procedures) is almost 78% when women have 2 yearly screening, yet only a tiny number will have malignancy. (L. Koutsky, CancerPrevention Fall 2004 Issue 4)
In an unscreened population, 1.58% of women will get cervical cancer...
Ground shaking statistics have been released by Dr Angela Raffles (cancer screening expert) to show that 1000 women have to be screened for 35 years to save one woman from cervical cancer. Her research is available on line...
This is about power, control and making lots of money by lying to and frightening women and women are being harmed - I know women who live in fear of the next pap smear - they hate the procedure and fear the results and their own bodies.
The evidence against mammograms is also bad - false positives and follow-up incl surgery. New research suggests that regular mammograms may INCREASE your chance of getting breast cancer - they suspect the bruising of the tissue.
Also, the discovery of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ...a slow growing cancer that rarely bothers a woman - many older women have some DCIS - once biopsied though, it can become aggressive and once found, the breast usually comes off (doctors fear litigation so err on the safe side) I urge all women to read screening wars by Professor Michael Baum - a top UK breast cancer surgeon who has been brave enough to take on the powerful screening lobby and tell women the truth about cervical and breast screening.
It's so important to make informed decisions about your health - stay in control...
There is also lots of evidence to show routine pelvic and rectal exams are unnecessary in asymptomatic women and in fact, can be harmful. Women should never be pressured into these exams, it should be her choice...
Likewise breast exams in young asymptomatic women are unnecessary - breast cancer is rare in young women, yet doctors routinely examine the breasts of young women. Why?
Prostate cancer is rare in young males - we don't see men having routine rectal exams in their youth...
The only exam required for the Pill is a blood pressure check - to require women to submit to full and invasive exams to get the Pill is disgraceful - cancer screening has nothing to do with birth control and a pregnancy has more risk than the threat of an uncommon cancer in any woman (let alone a young one)...
I think it's disappoiting that women are treated with such great disrespect - almost a system of abuse - it seems our dignity and health is irrelevant.
I don't live in fear - I've made informed decisions about my health...I know the facts and don't listen to the scare campaigns.
Did you also know that GP's in the UK and Australia receive financial incentives to pressure/recruit women into cervical screening - it's opportunistic screening so if a woman goes to the Dr for a cold, she's hassled about a pap smear - this practice is unethical - it deters GP's from providing risk information and gives the woman no opportunity to consider whether she wants the test...
In the UK the screening lobby have just been forced to release risk information and post it to every woman in the UK...after a brave woman stood up and exposed them....the hidden risks that can harm....
Also, there is a simple blood test which is almost 100% accurate that tests for cervical cancer - it's called the CSA Test (cervical specific antigen) and was patented about 4 years ago in the States. Women should demand access asap - write to your politicians and womens action groups. There are many vested interests in the lucrative business of cervical cancer screening that will not give up their market and control easily...
You'll find information on line at the Cervuis and Onconix websites.
It's also a huge source of sadness that this disgraceful stuff continues when so many doctors are now female.
Making a stand is the only way to force change....
Knowledge is indeed power - good luck everyone!
Great information! I would like to add that for me, a pap is slightly painful. After enduring it for a few years, I finally mentioned to my gyno that it hurt while the septum was spread. He advised that I should relax my pelvic muscles and actually sort of of push rather than clinching up, which made a big difference. He also made not in his file and from then on always removed the septum as soon as he took the swab rather than leaving it in place while he placed the swap on the slid. So I guess the best advice I can add is don't be afraid to talk to your doctor!
Fantastic information! Feeling more comfortable about it already! Thank you!
OB/GYN Love
Xiaomei says:
2 days ago
Dee, do you have any advice for others like you trying to get the pill without an exam? Would you be willing to share a sample letter?