How to Test for HPV
Understand the test., Understand how the test is administered., Know what to expect during the exam., Know when to get the test.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand the test.
The Papanicolaou smear, or "pap smear" is a test used by a doctor to detect early signs of changes in the cells that line the cervix.
The cervix is the passage that connects the vagina to the uterus, and any changes in its lining may suggest HPV infection. -
Step 2: Understand how the test is administered.
This test is typically administered by a gynecologist (although it can be performed by any physician) with the help of an assistant.
The doctor inserts a thin, duck-bill shaped instrument called the "speculum" inside the vagina to hold it open.
A small brush (which looks similar to a mascara brush) or small spatula is inserted into the opening and brushed against the cervix in order to pick up cells.
The brush is then stirred into a preservative fluid or spread onto a slide and examined under a microscope to look for abnormal, or "pre-cancerous" cells. , The test is sometimes uncomfortable, but it shouldn't cause pain.
Usually the most uncomfortable part is the initial insertion of the speculum.
It is also a brief test, usually less than a minute, although the doctor may need a few extra moments to get a clear view of the cervix. , Every woman should start to get regular pap tests at the age of 21, regardless of whether they have been sexually active.
Likewise, a woman who is sexually active but not yet 21 need not start getting pap tests.
Get a pap test every 3 years until age
29.
Afterwards, you may get the test less frequently if administered alongside the HPV test (see below). -
Step 3: Know what to expect during the exam.
-
Step 4: Know when to get the test.
Detailed Guide
The Papanicolaou smear, or "pap smear" is a test used by a doctor to detect early signs of changes in the cells that line the cervix.
The cervix is the passage that connects the vagina to the uterus, and any changes in its lining may suggest HPV infection.
This test is typically administered by a gynecologist (although it can be performed by any physician) with the help of an assistant.
The doctor inserts a thin, duck-bill shaped instrument called the "speculum" inside the vagina to hold it open.
A small brush (which looks similar to a mascara brush) or small spatula is inserted into the opening and brushed against the cervix in order to pick up cells.
The brush is then stirred into a preservative fluid or spread onto a slide and examined under a microscope to look for abnormal, or "pre-cancerous" cells. , The test is sometimes uncomfortable, but it shouldn't cause pain.
Usually the most uncomfortable part is the initial insertion of the speculum.
It is also a brief test, usually less than a minute, although the doctor may need a few extra moments to get a clear view of the cervix. , Every woman should start to get regular pap tests at the age of 21, regardless of whether they have been sexually active.
Likewise, a woman who is sexually active but not yet 21 need not start getting pap tests.
Get a pap test every 3 years until age
29.
Afterwards, you may get the test less frequently if administered alongside the HPV test (see below).
About the Author
Elizabeth Long
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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