Women's Health: What is a Cervical Smear?
A cervical smear is a test used on women to see if there is a change in the health of the cervix. This is useful for diagnosing the early stages of cancer.
The cervix is located at the end of the uterus, and connects to the top of the vagina. There is a canal that connects the central part of the vagina to the uterus, and measures approximately 3cm square.
Women's Health: Why Have a Cervical Smear?
The main reason to have a cervical smear is to monitor the health of the cervix, and to reduce the number of women affected by cervical cancer. The smear is targeted to detect early strains of cancer cells, potentially. If caught in time, women's health may not suffer at all, and cancer growth does not progress further. However, a cervical smear screening process only; it will not detect all forms of cancer, all the time.
Women's Health: Who Needs a Cervical Smear?
Women who are sexually active or aged 18 years or older (whatever comes first) must take their health in their own hands and cervical smear regularly until age 70. Regular smears every three years for most women, depending on their health and the results of the last smear. In addition, women who are not healthy should have annual smears, such as people with HIV. Women who had undergone hysterectomy had an abnormal pap smear in the past itself should be checked every year by medical practitioners; there is still a risk of abnormal cell growth at the top of the vaginal canal.
Women's Health: How is the cervical smear Done?
A cervical smear is taken only when women are in good health, and not bleeding. Any blood that appears during the test may not have biased the results.
This procedure is done by women on their backs, and lift their legs in the air by a health practitioner or stirrups. A speculum is placed in the vagina, so that the health practitioner can view women's cervix closely. Then brush-like instrument is placed on the cervix, and cells wipes to brush, and then placed onto glass slides for diagnosis.
Female cervical smears can be performed by a health practitioner, such as doctors or nurses. The procedure usually only lasts a few minutes, tops, and not painful, although perhaps a little uncomfortable.
