During a Pap smear the most uncomfortable part will be when the doctor inserts a speculum into your vagina. However, the pain should be minimal and brief. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images A Pap smear is a ...

Pap smears and HPV tests can catch issues early—long before they become cancer. Learn why these simple screenings matter and how to make the experience more comfortable.

No one likes the sound of any medical test coming back as “abnormal,” and furthermore, no one likes the sound of human papillomavirus (HPV). When I heard those two words in the same sentence, I was, ...

Ah, the pap smear. A rite of passage that people with vaginas just can't escape — or, seemingly, stop complaining about. No, you might not want to do it every day (and luckily, no one needs you to!), ...

In India, where cervical cancer is a leading cause of deaths among women, regular screening is the best way to detect the ...

The pre-HPV vaccination burden of ambulatory care visits and procedures related to cervical cancer screening is assessed, with projected effects of HPV vaccination and testing. Pap tests were ordered ...

If a person receives a positive human papillomavirus (HPV) result from a Pap smear, they need a colposcopy to confirm the diagnosis. This is a minimally invasive procedure that healthcare ...

I have a condition called vaginismus that makes traditional cervical cancer screening nearly impossible.

Dr. Marie Savard explains the differences between a Pap smear and a DNA test. April 7, 2009— -- A DNA test that detects the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer, is more effective ...

Pap smears used to detect cervical cancer could become less common according to researchers who found testing for the virus which causes the disease could be just as effective for many women. The U.S.

Dear Mayo Clinic: I am way past my childbearing years and do not have any health problems. Do I need to continue getting Pap smears? At what age is this test no longer necessary? A: Getting regularly ...

A Pap smear is a procedure that screens for cervical cancer by testing cells for any abnormalities. If your Pap results are abnormal that does not mean you have cancer, and more likely indicates HPV.