• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Pap Smears While Pregnant

January 5, 2011 by ds_25061 Leave a Comment

Pap smears are medical tests used to check the health of the cervix. While many women get pap smears as part of their regular wellness exams, your doctor may also perform this test as part of your pregnancy and prenatal workup. Bleeding during pregnancy may also indicate the need for a thorough investigation, including a pap smear.

Pap Smear

Pap smears are gynecological exams usually performed on women by the age of 21 years or within three years of becoming sexually active. Your doctor may recommend you get a Pap smear once each year for three years and every three years thereafter, as long as your results are normal. During the exam, your doctor will use a small tool to remove numerous cells from the area of your cervix. A laboratory can then examine the sample under a microscope to detect any unusual changes in the cells.

Purpose

A Pap smear looks for changes in cervical cells that may indicate the presence of cancer or precancerous conditions. This test can detect about 95 percent of cervical cancers. While these tests don’t specifically look for other disorders, they can help uncover the presence of conditions that may cause pelvic pain or vaginal bleeding. According to the American Pregnancy Association, Pap smears during pregnancy pose no danger to your developing baby.

Results

The results of your Pap smear will be either negative or positive. A negative result means that the cervical cells were normal. A positive result indicates the presence of abnormal cells. A positive result does not mean you have cancer or a precancerous condition. Positive results require further testing to determine the cause of your abnormal cervical cells.

Factors

A number of factors can cause positive results from Pap smears. Conditions that may lead to a positive reading include, yeast infections, herpes, inflammation, infections, herpes and the human papilloma virus.

Options

Your doctor may want to perform additional Pap smears during your pregnancy. Common medical procedures used to follow up on cervical abnormalities include a cervical biopsy or a colposcopy. During these procedures, you may experience slight bleeding from the outer part of your cervix, a condition that does not pose a risk to your developing baby. An internal biopsy of the tissue inside your endocervical canal is a more aggressive procedure that may pose a slight risk to your pregnancy. Discuss any concerns with your doctor, including the possibility of delaying further tests until after the birth of your baby.

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Parenting

About ds_25061

Piper Li, a professional freelance writer, began writing in 1989. Her articles appear in Modern Mom, Biz Mojo, Walden University and GardenGuides. She is the co-editor for "Kansas Women: Focus on Health." With a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mesa State, Li enjoys writing about health, horticulture and business management.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Third Child

I Want a Third Child, Except, I Really Don’t

Something strange has been happening to me lately:  I keep … [Read More...] about I Want a Third Child, Except, I Really Don’t

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Do You Have to Refrigerate Glazed Donuts?

Do You Have to Refrigerate Glazed Donuts?

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

Baby Hair Growth

Baby Hair Growth

Fruit Salad Recipes With Fewer Than Five Ingredients

Fruit Salad Recipes With Fewer Than Five Ingredients

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

Night Sweats During Pregnancy

Married Man Hides His Feelings For You

How To Know If A Married Man Hides His Feelings For You

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.