Virgin Pap smear: You can do it risk-free even if you've never had intercourse
The Pap test is a simple but essential test for the health and well-being of every woman. It is part of those routine examinations to be done by a specialist, the gynecologist in this case. Find out how to take care of your health even at home, and whenever you want, with simple gestures: watch our video and learn how to do breast self-examination. Prevention is very important, never neglect it!
Virgin Pap smear: what is the Pap smear and what it is for
The pap test is named after the Greek-American researcher George Papanicolaou who first developed it. It is an essential screening cytological test for the prevention of cervical cancer and for identifying suspicious lesions and alterations that could transform into neoplasms.
Do you think that before the pap test spread, cervical cancer was one of the most common cancers among women: today, however, the pap test saves 500,000 women from this disease every year. Performing the pap test is simple, it must not be confused with the bacterioscopic smear which instead serves to evaluate the presence of vaginal infections in progress.
Today the pap test is a routine test that, unless otherwise indicated, must be done periodically by women of all ages. Very often girls ask themselves if they can do it even if they are still a virgin: by continuing to read you will find the answers you are looking for to all your questions about the pap smear.
How to do the pap smear at the gynecologist
During the visit, the gynecologist makes a simple sample from the neck of the uterus. The pap test allows the prevention and early diagnosis of cervical tumors: in addition to this, it allows to investigate the presence of a viral infection linked to the Papilloma. Virus (HPV), a virus found in several women that can sometimes degenerate and form a tumor. The Pap test is performed painlessly, in a few minutes. The gynecologist takes flaking cells from the uterine cervix, neck and uterine canal The patient is lying down, with her legs apart: the gynecologist uses the speculum to slightly dilate the vaginal opening and with a cotton brush and a spatula takes the sample. It only takes 5 minutes and it's all over!
At that point the gynecologist smears the cells on the slide: the cells are stained and examined under a microscope in the laboratory. The results are delivered after a few days.
Virgin Pap smear: can be done without damaging the hymen
Many women wonder if it is possible to get a pap smear as a virgin. The answer is yes. The examination is carried out by the doctor or by the obstetrician without damaging the hymen. Obviously they must be informed first because in this case a speculum specially created for women who have never had sexual intercourse will be used. The doctor will take particular care not to damage the "hymen, an elastic membrane that can sometimes rupture without causing pain or bleeding. In some cases, however, the hymen is particularly often to make the collection of cells difficult: in that case the mucus sample to be examined may not be sufficient for a perfect result and be less reliable. However, it is good to remember that if a woman does not have never had sex, the risk of cervical cancer is very low. Many anti-cancer protocols therefore do not include pap smears in screening for virgin women.
The Pap test is a simple test and it is not painful: if you feel any pain or discomfort it is due to your individual sensitivity and the delicacy of the person who performs this screening. If you experience small blood loss after the test, do not be alarmed. : it's normal!
If in doubt, always ask your gynecologist or midwife for advice.
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When to get the pap smear and how to prepare
The pap test is recommended for all women, after the start of sexual activity and, in any case, from 25 years of age. It should be performed regularly every 3 years, in the absence of risk factors or other medical indications. After the age of 35 it must be done every 5 years, up to at least 65 years of age. Even in periods in which you do not have sexual intercourse, the test can provide important updates on the situation of the uterus. Even in menopause it is advisable not to stop taking the pap test which gives a clear evaluation and an exhaustive screening of the uterine cervix. an abnormal or suspected result the gynecologist prescribes further in-depth screening or recommends repeating the test after a short period. the possibility of healing exponentially.
When you have to undergo a pap smear, do not use local contraceptives, pessaries, creams, gels, intimate deodorants, foams and vaginal douches which can distort the results. In the two days before the exam it is better not to have sexual intercourse: having sex before the pap test is not a good idea and you risk having an unreliable result. Then make sure when you book this screening to do it on a date far from menstruation If your period arrives on the day of the visit or a few days before, you will have to postpone the exam.
Pap smear in pregnancy: can it be done or not?
As we have seen, although with some unreliable results due to particular female anatomical shapes, the pap test can be done even if the woman is a virgin. Another question that haunts women is whether the pap smear can be done during pregnancy. Also in this case the answer is yes, and even in this case the advice is always to inform the professional of your condition first. To get a pap smear when you are pregnant, it is best to take advantage of the first few weeks, usually recommended in the first trimester of pregnancy.
It is always good for any doubts about the execution or the results of the pap test to ask for advice and clarifications from your gynecologist or a trusted obstetrician.
