Women's Health

The Pap smear is the most effective cancer screening method in medical history. But even the most conscientious laboratories sometimes classify normal cell samples as suspicious or overlook abnormalities among the half million cells on each slide. This may be due to the fact that using the conventional Pap testing technique: as much as 80 […]

At least half of all women (50 to 80 percent) whose Pap smears are classified as abnormal don’t have cervical cancer don’t have a condition that will become cervical cancer For a woman who has regular Pap smears, abnormalities detected by the test are most apt to be very early precancers. It can take as

Here are some frequently asked questions related to Pap smear. Q: Who should have a Pap smear? A: Every girl or woman who is at least 18 years old and who is or has been sexually active should have regular Pap smears. Q: How often should a girl or woman have a Pap smear? A: She should

Here is a summary of the important facts and information related to Pap smear. The Pap smear is the only procedure that can detect early cancerous or potentially cancerous conditions of the cervix and vagina. The Pap smear is a screening technique. It is used to detect abnormalities in women who do not have any disease symptoms. It

Here are definitions of medical terms related to Pap smear. AGUS: Stands for Atypical Glandular Cells of Undetermined Significance. This diagnostic category indicates that light changes in cells in cervical glands have been seen under the microscope. ASCUS: Stands for Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance. This diagnostic category indicates that slight changes in flat cells on

Here are some reliable sources that can provide more information on Pap smear. American Cancer Society  Phone: 1-800-ACS-2345 http://www.cancer.org/ National Cancer Institute Cancer Information Service  Phone: 1-800-4-CANCER http://www.nci.nih.gov/ Helpful Web Articles Pap Smears: What, Who, Why & When http://www.ascp.org/general/pub_resources/papsmear/questions.asp Understanding your Pap Smear: Limiting Factors http://www.ascp.org/general/pub_resources/papsmear/limiting.asp from the American Society of Clinical Pathologists, Chicago, Illinois

Experts estimate that 35,000,000 women in the United States should have regular Pap smears. About one-third of all women who should have regular Pap smears do not. A girl or woman should have a Pap smear if she: has reached the age of 18 is sexually active has been sexually active A girl or woman

Having Pap smears at recommended intervals is the most important thing a woman can do to protect herself from developing cervical cancer. Regular Pap testing is important because no test is 100 percent accurate no one can predict who will develop cervical cancer this procedure enables healthcare providers to detect early precancerous changes in the