Women's Health: Importance Of Pap Smears And Pelvic Exams

A pelvic examination is a visual and manual inspection of a woman's reproductive organs

. This exam is usually performed annually by a gynecologist in order to make sure that there are no problems such as infections or growths. A Pap smear is a test to look for cervical cancer.

During a pelvic exam, a woman will remove her clothing and put on a medical examining gown. She will lie on her back on the physician's exam table and place her feet in stirrups, which are actually metal supports attached to the bottom sides of the table.

The physician will examine the patient's exterior reproductive organs to make sure that there are no signs of infections, redness or abnormal growths or sores. The doctor will then inspect the internal reproductive organs by inserting a medical tool, called a speculum, into the vagina, which opens the area until the vagina and cervix are viewable.

The internal organs of the uterus and ovaries are also examined by the doctor by placing a rubber gloved finger into the vagina and one hand on top of the lower abdomen in order to palpate the area.

A pap test is done by collecting some cells from the end of the cervix, which is the narrow opening at the end of the vagina. The cells are collected with a swab and sent to the laboratory to check for any sign of cervical cancer. It is recommended that a woman begin having an annual pap test by the age of twenty-one or sooner if she is sexually active.

After a woman reaches seventy years old or if she has had a hysterectomy, she may not need to have this test any longer. It is wise for a woman to discuss this with her gynecologist because every case is a bit different.

If there are any abnormalities during a pelvic exam, a gynecologist will be able to let the patient know immediately. The pap test will need several days to a week to elapse before the results are available. There are occasions when the test will point to possible abnormities but turn out not to be cervical cancer.

A retest is always done in the case of an abnormal result in order to determine if it was a faulty test or if there are indeed suspicious cells that need to be addressed. False positives can occur for many reasons, including the fact that inadequate cells may have been collected. Even if there is a problem, early detection will allow the most successful remediation of the health concern.

Annual physical checkups are the best forms of preventative medicine in caring for women's health. Pap smears and pelvic exams can make sure that a woman stays healthy by alerting the physician to any signs of trouble.

by: Andrew Stratton

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