Health 101: HPV, Fertility & Cervical Cancer

My Pap smear was abnormal. Now what?

Iffy Pap results can mean a number of things, so don't panic. First, know that between five and 10 percent of women who get yearly Paps will have abnormal results at some point. Sometimes, this is just because of a hard-to-read sample or because of another condition (like a recent yeast infection) that makes the results unclear. Even having sex, douching, or getting tested during or soon after your period can sometimes throw off results. In these cases, your doctor would likely just repeat the test.

If you have an abnormal Pap and test positive for HPV, your doctor will likely perform a colposcopy to learn more about the severity of the changes in your cervix. This procedure involves using a telescope-like tool to examine the cervix and to remove a small sample of cells to be biopsied in lab. From there, your doctor will have a better understanding of what kind of treatment, if any, you'll need.