When Do I Need A Pap Smear?
Thursday July 17, 2003
New Pap Smear Guidelines
I have had a Pap smear every year, like clockwork. Until recently that is, when the American Cancer Society issued new cervical cancer screening guidelines which, for many women, eliminate the need yearly Pap smears. Find out when you need another Pap smear.
I have had a Pap smear every year, like clockwork. Until recently that is, when the American Cancer Society issued new cervical cancer screening guidelines which, for many women, eliminate the need yearly Pap smears. Find out when you need another Pap smear.
Comments
Annual screening is a very bad idea – 95% of women who have annual screening will face the anguish of a false positive and biopsies – not something to be taken lightly.
Most women find biopsies embarrassing, painful and distressing – some women are left with permanent damage that causes problems with fertility and during pregnancy – they can also cause psychological problems.
Testing too frequently and when you’re under 30 increases your chances of a false positive.
This is an unreliable test for an uncommon cancer – very few women benefit from this testing while thousands are harmed…
If you choose to have testing and remember YOUR informed consent is necessary for this Test…because it carries real risks to your health – look at the Finnish program – they have the lowest rates of cervical cancer in the world and the lowest number of biopsies and false positives. (55% of their women face biopsies – the US it’s a whopping 95%!)
The Finns “offer” (not demand or require) screening from age 30 and then 5 yearly until 50, 55 or 60 depending on past results and medical history.
As a low risk woman, I was told that I was unlikely to benefit, but very likely to face a false positive – I chose not to have testing.
The system in the States and Australia (2 yearly) harms lots of women.
Do your reading and look at the facts.
Sadly, you won’t get an honest answer from a doctor – they all make a fortune from the test and the unnecessary colposcopies – and treating the women harmed by testing – high risk pregnancies, infertility, urologists, psychiatrists – it’s a goldmine turning healthy women into patients for life.