M aybe you had a bad experience with your last Pap smear and you’re wary of going back to the ob-gyn. Or maybe you’ve never had one before and are scared to make the appointment. It’s ...

A Pap smear involves collecting a sample from the cervix to test for abnormal cells that are cancerous or could lead to cervical cancer. The procedure typically only lasts for a minute, if that.

When a Pap smear indicates inflammation, it means that the cervical cells appear irritated. This doesn’t automatically point to cancer but can result from a number of benign or infectious causes.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home screening test for cervical cancer, the product’s maker announced. The test could serve as an alternative for in-person “Pap ...

A Pap smear looks for abnormal cells that could indicate cancer down the line. arcyto - stock.adobe.com. The primary cause for cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus.

In a pap smear, a gynecologist uses a speculum to open the walls of the vagina, and then uses an instrument to collect cells from the cervix. As the Mayo Clinic notes, it “may feel uncomfortable.

HPV screening — rather than a pap smear — is more effective at detecting cervical cancer, according to a US task force Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at ...

If your Pap smear results are unclear, your doctor might suggest an HPV test. The HPV test doesn't detect cancer, but can tell whether you have the virus that can cause it.

Despite the Pap smear’s effectiveness, the drop in cervical cancer deaths has leveled off since 2008. In the United States, about 11,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, and ...

What to know about the first at-home Pap smear approved by the FDA The wand developed by Teal Health allows patients to self-collect a vaginal sample and mail it to a lab for testing. May 9, 2025 ...