What to Expect During a Pap Test
Before the exam: Your doctor will leave the room. You will remove your clothes, put on a gown, and put a sheet over your waist and legs for privacy.
During the exam: Your doctor will insert a small instrument, called a "speculum," into the vagina to see the cervix. Your doctor will then use a small swab to collect cells from your cervix. You may feel a little discomfort.
After the exam: Your doctor will send the cells to a lab to see if there are any abnormal cell changes. Your doctor will follow up with you by phone or mail with your Pap test results. If your doctor does not follow up with you within a week or two after your Pap test, it is important to contact him or her to get your results.
| When you go for a Pap test, your doctor may ask the following questions:
Do not think, "This doctor is too curious; this is so embarrassing." Please remember that this is your doctor's daily work. Your doctor needs this information in order to help protect your health. |
 "I am embarrassed to ask for a Pap Test. What should I do?" |
 Doctor Nguyen: "Many women are embarrassed to remind their doctors to do Pap tests. Because of our culture, we are not used to talking about sexual matters and intimate body parts. So, it takes a brave woman to ask her doctor for a Pap test, especially if her doctor is a man. You can ask for a female provider, such as a nurse, to be in the room. For your health, try not to be embarrassed - simply ask your doctor to do a Pap test." |