Although most women are familiar with the concept of Pap Smears and the recommendation to have them regularly performed, few know much beyond that. If that describes you (especially if you’ve just received the abnormal pap smear results), you’ve come to the right place. Today our women’s health Flower Mound TX specialists (locations also in Benbrook, Bedford, Boyd and Justin) are going to be explaining what an abnormal pap smear means and how to know what to expect going forward.
What Are Pap Smears Testing For?
Pap smears are a cervical cancer screening that can help prevent or offer early detection for women. It’s recommended that most women between the ages of 21 and 65 get one done every three years as long as the results come back normal.
Types of Pap Smear Results
There are three possible results a pap smear can indicate. Those three are as follows:
- Normal: Also known as “negative,” this result simply means that the cells collected from your cervix have no evidence of change or abnormalities at this time.
- Unclear: This result indicates that something about your cells may suggest an abnormality; in short – the results are ambiguous. There are several possible explanations for this, including Human Papillomavirus (HPV), menopause, pregnancy, infection or even recent sexual intercourse. It’s likely that your doctor will recommend further testing.
- Abnormal: An abnormal test result means that your pap smear shows abnormal cervical cell changes. These changes can indicate several conditions ranging from HPV (most common) all the way to precancer or cancer cells (least common).
If you or someone you love does not currently have access to pap smears or HPV testing, Your Family Medical has some of the very best doctors for women Flower Mound TX (locations also in Benbrook, Bedford, Boyd and Justin) has to offer. Call today to schedule a new patient appointment with one of our women’s health and wellness specialists.
Next Steps After an Abnormal Result
The first step following the discovery of cervical cell changes is to do further testing. It is likely that your doctor will recommend a colposcopy, which is a similar procedure to a pap smear. This can allow a closer inspection of the changed cells as well as an opportunity to remove a small amount of tissue from the area to be biopsied.
The biopsy will show whether the cervical changes are low-grade, moderate-grade or high-grade.
- Low-grade change indicates there’s a good chance the changes will resolve themselves with time. Your doctor may recommend a watch and wait approach.
- Moderate- or High-grade change indicates that there’s a higher risk of cervical cancer and your doctor will likely recommend further treatment.
How Your Family Doctor Can Help
Many women don’t realize that a family doctor can be an excellent resource for their specialized health care needs, including offering pap smears and guiding patients through complications following abnormal results.
At Your Family Medical, some of the additional women’s health issues we treat include:
- Abnormal bleeding
- Pelvic pain
- Menopausal symptoms
- Imbalanced hormone levels
- And more
Call today to schedule a new patient appointment with any one of our incredible women’s health and wellness specialists. You will find that our care goes far beyond simply performing routine exams and tests; our goal is to help you reach your highest quality of life through caring for your health as a whole person.
Women’s Health Flower Mound TX
It can be difficult to focus on your health when you have so much going on in your life, especially if you’re a mother with children preoccupying most of your time and energy. At Your Family Medical, we put your health first. We offer a wide range of comprehensive women’s health and wellness care for women of all ages and stages so that you can continue living a life full of health and happiness.
