Every woman needs to practice preventative care, including seeking regular exams and tests. A Pap smear is a crucial part of every woman’s care and helps check for severe complications like cervical cancer, a significant concern in women’s health. The Contemporary Women’s Care test takes only a few minutes but provides critical information about your cervix health. It is normal to feel anxious, especially when going for your first appointment, but you can beat the nervousness with a few things you can do. Here is how to get ready and improve your experience with a pap smear.
Book Your Appointment about One Week After Your Periods
A pap smear should be performed away from menstruation. Therefore, follow your period’s calendar and schedule your appointment after about one week since your period ends. If your periods are irregular, talk to your doctor in advance to diagnose your issue and recommend the best time to seek a pap smear. Although your doctor can give it a thumbs up to go for a pap smear during your periods, it could interfere with the results. Also, you will need to use pads over tampons for about two days before your appointment.
No Douching
As you get ready for your pap smear, you will have to skip douching for about 2-3 days before your exam as it can wash away possible abnormal cells your doctor will be looking for. Also, it can change the bacteria in your vagina, increasing your chances of infection. Also, it would be better if you avoid vaginal medicines or spermicidal foams for about two days before your exam to ensure you get accurate results.
Avoid Vaginal Sex for 48 Hours
It is essential to abstain from vaginal sex for about two days when getting ready for a pap smear. Remember that the test is all about examining abnormal cells in your reproductive organ, but sex can mask those cells messing up the results. You might masturbate, but you should keep off any lubricants. Ensure you talk to your partner about it to ensure they understand it.
Be Ready to Answer Sensitive Questions
Reproductive health touches on sensitive matters that some people find confidential. However, you must be ready to answer sensitive questions and give accurate answers to your doctor to help make an accurate diagnosis. Be prepared to answer questions about your menstruation, including when it begins and ends, its heaviness, pattern, and symptoms you experience. Your doctor can also ask you about any birth controls you might be using.
Note Down Relevant Questions You Might Have
You might have some questions for your doctor, but they can evaporate when you get to the office due to nervousness. It is important to note them down when you are fresh before your appointment. You can ask about the symptoms you are experiencing during your periods, ask about birth control options, and discuss what you can expect during your test.
Go to the Bathroom
Your doctor will advise you to go to the bathroom before your appointment. You should know how to do it before leaving your house. But if you will be driving for about fifteen minutes, you should arrive about ten minutes earlier to have time to use the bathroom. During the pap smear, it is normal to feel some pressure that makes you get the urge to pee right then and there. Therefore, peeing in advance ensures you are comfortable during your test.
Book your pap smear consultation appointment with the Orlando specialists to learn more about the test. Make it part of your preventative care. You can make a call or book an appointment online.