How Common are Abnormal Pap Smears & What Do They Mean?
Staying on top of your reproductive health means being proactive, especially when it comes to getting pap smears. Still, it can be nerve-wracking when you’re trying to be responsible and your pap smear comes back with “abnormal results”.
Before you panic – this is probably more common than you think, and isn’t necessarily anything to be concerned about. Let’s take a closer look at what it means to have an abnormal pap smear and how common it is.
How Common are Abnormal Pap Smears?
An estimated 3.8% of pap tests come back abnormal. That may seem relatively high, especially considering that most people with cervixes will undergo quite a few pap smears in their lives. To put that into perspective, about 75% of women will have an abnormal pap result at some point in their lives.
We understand that this can be scary, so let’s break it down.
The Risks of an Abnormal Pap Smear
The biggest concern about an abnormal pap smear is that it means cervical cancer is present or that it may lead to cancer, but that’s not necessarily true.
Cervical cancer is a real risk. When you look at countries that don’t have accessible reproductive healthcare, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer that leads to mortality.
These stats alone show just how important pap smears and cervical cancer screenings are.
Abnormal cervical cells are usually caused by hormonal changes, bacterial infections, yeast, benign growths, irritations, and in some cases – cervical cancer. While abnormal pap results don’t typically mean cervical cancer, if you do happen to have cancerous or precancerous cells, getting regular pap smears can be potentially life-saving.
According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, getting regular pap smears can reduce cancer rates by 80%. Cervical cancer typically takes years to develop. Regular screening can help to detect abnormal cells before they become cancerous and allows providers to treat precancerous lesions.
If You Have an Abnormal Pap Smear
If you do happen to get an abnormal pap smear, it’s ok to have a little freak out or moment of concern – this is your health and your body, it’s perfectly natural to have these feelings come up.
Next, you’ll want to talk to your provider about your next steps. Depending on the results and how old you are, it may just be recommended that you get a pap smear in one year versus in three or five years.
In some cases, they may recommend a follow-up test soon after the first abnormal one. If the results for the second test are also abnormal, you may need a cervical biopsy, also known as a colposcopy.
This is done by removing cervical cells or tissues so they can be closely examined under a microscope to determine whether or not cervical cancer may be present and what your next steps are.
Your Cervical Health
Whether or not you’ve had an abnormal pap smear in the past, the most effective way to prevent cervical cancer (outside of abstinence) is with the HPV vaccine.
This vaccine protects against nine strains of HPV, so even if you have had abnormal results, getting the vaccine can protect against other strains of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer.
We understand that it can be scary to think about all of this, but the more proactive and informed you are, the better equipped you are for making empowered decisions about your body and your health.
