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When not to get a pap smear

What you do in the days before a Pap smear can affect how easy your sample is to read.

SEX
You shouldn’t have sex in the 24 hours before your smear test because any lingering sperm can obscure the result. Condoms are OK but watch out for spermicides.

PERIODS
You shouldn’t have a smear during your period or just after it. Blood in a sample can make it impossible to read.

BATHS
You shouldn’t have a bath 24 hours before your smear as some water might make its way into the cervical region, along with any bath products you use, affecting the results. Ditto swimming and some water sports. Showering is OK, though.

DOUCHING (which isn’t recommended generally) is definitely not advised.

PESSARIES Using them 24 hours before a smear test can contaminate the sample.

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 30th, 2007 at 11:33 am and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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One Response to “When not to get a pap smear”

  1. orangtuamurid.info » Blog Archive » First trip to the gyno (gynecologists) Says:
    Dec 31st 2007 at 4:52 am

    […] Finally, you’ll pop your feet up into some stirrups and he’ll check out your vagina, cervix and uterus. He’ll examine the outer genital region, then he’ll gently insert a speculum (a short, […]

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