Most women have a normal result and have the next screening test in 3 to 5 years, depending on their age and where they live.
Women age 21 to 29 should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing alone can be considered for women who are 25 to 29, but Pap tests are preferred. Women age 30 to 65 have three options for testing. They can have both a Pap test and an HPV test every 5 years.
Cervical screening is for women and people with a cervix. We offer screening every 3 years from age 25 to 49 and every 5 years from age 50 to 64. This is because most cervical cancers develop between these ages.
ACS recommends cervical cancer screening with an HPV test alone every 5 years for everyone with a cervix from age 25 until age 65. If HPV testing alone is not available, people can get screened with an HPV/Pap cotest every 5 years or a Pap test every 3 years.
If you get a positive HPV test, your physician has detected one or more high risk strains of the virus on the Pap test of your cervix. If the virus stays with you for a long time, it can cause cell changes that can lead to several types of cancer.
People should avoid sex for at least 24 hours before getting a Pap smear, as sex may interfere with the test and its results. Having sexual intercourse 24 hours before a Pap smear can cause the vaginal tissue to become inflamed.
They recommend that all people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 are invited for cervical screening every 5 years. This has changed from 3 to 5 years because the test used in cervical screening has changed.
The only way to know it is safe to stop being tested after age 65 is if you have had several tests in a row that didn't find cancer within the previous 10 years, including at least one in the previous five years. For the Pap test alone, you should have three normal tests in a row.
Over-screening for cervical cancer can be harmful.
HPV is extremely common, and a positive HPV test doesn't necessarily indicate a worrisome abnormality.
If You Are 21 to 29 Years Old
You should start getting Pap tests at age 21. If your Pap test result is normal, your doctor may tell you that you can wait three years until your next Pap test.
If you are younger than 30, you can likely be tested for cervical cancer every other year instead of yearly. If you are older than 30 and have had 3 normal Pap tests in a row, you can be tested once every 3 years.
After the first test: Women ages 30 through 65 should be screened with either a Pap test every 3 years or the HPV test every 5 years or both tests every 5 years (called “cotesting”).
Many people are used to having one every year, because that was the previous recommendation. But, as research has evolved, a yearly Pap smear is no longer recommended for most people. Depending on your age and risk factors, you only need a Pap smear every 3 to 5 years.
For 9 in 10 of us, this happens within 2 years. Sometimes, HPV will remain in your body and it might cause cells to change. Changed cells may turn into cervical cancer over time if they persist and are not monitored or treated. Cervical screening (previously called a 'smear test') can find HPV and changed cells early.
Abnormal Pap smear results are common. According to the National Institutes of Health, 3.8% of Pap tests come back abnormal. Most of the abnormal cells found during a Pap test are the result of a cervical or vaginal infection and are not cancerous.
Women aged 70-74 should have an "exit" Cervical Screening Test. If HPV is not detected, the risk of developing cervical cancer is very low and you can stop having Cervical Screening Tests.
The risk of cervical cancer increases with age, so it is important for women to continue having regular Cervical Screening Tests until they are in their 70s, even if they are no longer sexually active or have experienced menopause.
Routine screening is recommended every three years for women ages 21 to 65. You could also consider combining the Pap test with human papillomavirus screening or the HPV test alone every five years after the age of 30. Testing is your best tool to detect pre-cancerous conditions that may lead to cervical cancer.
The smear test is designed to pick up minor changes in the cells of the cervix before any serious problems develop. One in twelve smears aren't normal, but it is extremely rare for an abnormality to be cancer. Nearly all abnormal smears only show minor changes in the cervical cells.
If high risk types of HPV stay in your body, they can cause changes to the cells in your cervix. These changes may become cervical cancer if not treated. If you do not have a high risk type of HPV it's very unlikely you'll get cervical cancer, even if you've had abnormal cell changes in your cervix before.
Should I have a shower before I get a smear test? Up to you! You don't have to, there is no medical reason that you should. Showering or not showering will not affect the test in any way.
It doesn't take much to prepare for a pap smear. Some women may feel like they need to shave their pubic hair, but it's unnecessary for this test. You should only tackle it if you'll be more comfortable. Your doctor has seen it all, so a little bit of pubic hair won't bother him.