Important information for ANY

woman! A few minutes could save your life, have you

scheduled a vaginal exam yet?

We live in a time where we see more one is wise for the patient to be seen and
examined as soon as possible.
night stands than relationships, where more
partners find it harder to be faithful, where How is the procedure preformed?
crimes; including rape, have risen, and
where children as young and in some cases The patient sits on a table where her
younger than 12 are finding themselves legs can be elevated and held open without
pregnant. Keeping in mind all of the strain by
sexually transmitted diseases that can be stirrups.
transferred and received, as well as cancers The doctor
that can form in the body, it is wise for then inserts
every woman to talk with her doctor about a speculum,
vaginal exams. According to the United a device
States Cancer Statistics: 2004 Incidence and that
Mortality, 11,892 women in America found resembles a
out that they had cervical cancer this year duck beak, to separate the vaginal walls so
and 3,850 women died from cervical cancer that the cervix can be seen. A wooden
in the United States. spatula, smaller yet similar to a tongue
depressor, is inserted and scrapped gently
What is a Vaginal Exam? along the vaginal walls. The cells that have
been removed from the cervix are then
A vaginal exam, also known as a pap
transferred onto a
smear, is a fairly quick and painless
slide, sprayed with a
procedure that determines the health of your
solution to ensure
cervix, or uterus. The procedure itself takes
that the cells stay on
a matter of minutes and can be performed by
the slide, and then is
your regular physician or the appropriate
sent to the lab for
staff at any hospital or clinic.
further testing. The results are usually ready
Who should be tested? within a couple of days.

Any and all women everywhere How often should one be tested?
should be tested and continue to get tested
How often largely depends on the
throughout their lives. It is wise for women
patients’ age and health status. Usually after
to have their first exam around the age of 18.
the first exam, between the ages of 18 and
In the event of under aged sex and/or rape, it
30, it is best to schedule at least one
annually for about three years, unless
otherwise consulted by your doctor. If the
results of these exams continue to be
normal, one every three years is fine unless
otherwise informed by your physician.
Women 65 years of age and older
who have had consistent normal results and
who have consulted their personal
physicians first, may not need to continue to
have pap smears performed.
Different circumstances:
In rape cases, the level of discomfort,
mental and physical, during the examination
would be higher than those of a regular
check up. With rape being such a traumatic
experience to begin with, it is not
uncommon for a victim to feel extreme
discomfort, vulnerability, and/or even
violated again. It is still the best thing that
one can do for one’s self after such an
experience. Pap smears can detect diseases
and cancer cells at early enough stages
where treatment is still available. Going
without one would put your body and
reproductive area in an incredible amount of
harm and is incredibly irresponsible. It is a
simple and quick procedure that is over in
minutes and can provide you with peace of
mind, if not anything else.
How do I schedule an appointment?
To schedule an appointment, you can
firstly contact your personal physician or
hospital. If you do not have health
insurance, the National Breast Cancer and
Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
(NBCCEDP) offer free or low-cost Pap tests
to women in need. These and other
programs are available throughout the
United States, to find out more information
go to the NBCCEDP’s website at
www.cdc.gov/cancer/ nbccedp/ or you can
contact your state and local health
department for addition information about
your area.
Test Results:
There are many diseases and bacteria
that can affect your uterus and lead to
anything from cancer to human papilloma
viruses (HPV) to a simple yeast infections.
Results fall under two different categories,
normal and abnormal results. Abnormal
results DOES NOT mean that the patient
has cancer, simply that there was something
abnormal in the test results and it could be
minor.
Where do I go from here?
If the results came back normal, then
scheduling
the next
appointment
is all that is
left to be
done. If the
results came
back abnormal, however, more testing will
need to be done, as well as treatment. A
couple of tests that can be performed to
determine the best kind of treatment area:
Colposcopy, Endocervical Curettage, and/or a
Biopsy.
 During a colposcopy, the doctor uses a
tool called a colposcope to see the cells
of the vagina and cervix in detail.
  During an endocervical curettage,
the doctor takes a sample of the cells
from the endocervical canal with a
small spoon-shaped tool called a
curette.
 With a biopsy, the doctor removes a There are several different types of
small piece of tissue to be examined cancers and sexually transmitted diseases
more closely under a microscope. that can affect the female reproductive area.
About ninety percent of cervical cancers
Cervical Cancer: arise from flattened cells covering the
cervix. Most of the remaining 10% arise
Cervical cancer is the easiest kind of
from the glandular, mucus-secreting cells of
cancer to detect and with the right treatment
the cervical canal leading into the uterus.
in the right amount of time, it is also the
easiest to cure. If cervical cancer is not
caught in the
right amount
of time, it
can spread to
other areas
of the body,
including but
is not limited
to the: the bones in your spine, your bladder,
lungs, and lymph nodes. This is called
metastasis.