Understanding Your Abnormal Pap Results

Let’s be honest: Pap tests aren’t fun. This vital screening procedure utilizes a cold speculum and requires you to be totally exposed, making it easy to put it pretty low on your priority list. But, even though these tests are less than enjoyable, they’re an integral part of women’s health care. 

A Pap test gently scrapes away cells from your cervix to look for any abnormal growths. If you’re over the age of 25, you should be getting a Pap test every 3-5 years to look for any cell changes in your cervix that are early warning signs of cervical cancer. Pap tests are necessary for early cancer detection and effective treatment. 

At Women’s Specialty Care in Lake Forest and Grayslake, Illinois, obstetrician and gynecologist Karen Mass, MD, FACOG, leads our team in performing Pap tests to detect cervical changes and precancerous growths. 

In this month’s blog, we discuss what an abnormal Pap test result can mean and your next steps after an abnormal test. 

What can an abnormal Pap test indicate?

After you get your Pap test, your results should be ready within a week or two. If your reading comes back as abnormal, it’s important to understand that an abnormal Pap test does not automatically guarantee a cancer diagnosis. A myriad of things can trigger an abnormal result. 

Some reasons for an abnormal reading besides detection of precancerous cells include:

• Mild inflammation from having sex or using menstrual products right before your exam 
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) or another infection
• Inconclusive results due to poor lab sample 

Dr. Mass or a member of our team reviews your results with you and walks you through the next steps. 

What happens after an abnormal Pap test?

Depending on the reason for your abnormal test, these are some of the next steps we recommend:

Repeat Pap test

Because inflammation from recent sexual activity or menstrual product use can trigger an abnormal reading, a repeat test helps rule out or confirm concerning changes. If the inflammation or cell changes seem very minor, we may recommend testing again in a few months. 

Colposcopy

In many cases, after an abnormal Pap test, our Women’s Specialty Care team will perform a procedure known as a colposcopy. 

During the exam, we place the speculum in your vagina to allow us a clear view of your cervix. We then use a magnifying tool known as a colposcope to view your cervical tissues and cells up close. If we spot anything abnormal, we take a tissue sample (biopsy) for further testing. 

Schedule your next Pap test

If you haven’t had a Pap test in quite some time, we highly encourage you to schedule your next one sooner rather than later. Pap tests are incredibly effective screening tools that can accurately detect harmful cell changes and save lives. 

To book your Pap test with our Women’s Specialty Care team, simply call your nearest office location, or use our online scheduling feature today.