The Pap smear is an important tool to detect any abnormalities that might occur in your cervix. After childbirth, it is important to assess any unusual inflammatory processes that might be happening. Schedule a Pap smear for after you give birth; the recommended time is eight weeks postpartum.
What Is a Pap Smear?
A Pap smear is a test used to detect cancer, tumors, precancerous conditions or human papilloma virus (HPV), infections and inflammation. The Pap smear is a sample of cells taken from your cervix, using a brush and a plastic spatula. The cells are placed into a solution and then sent off to a lab. The results can take up to three weeks. If the cells are normal looking, you will get normal results. Abnormal means the cells are not looking normal. If you get results of an abnormal Pap smear, your practitioner will reschedule another Pap smear to confirm the results of the first one.
After You Give Birth
Gynecologists recommend waiting between six and eight weeks after you deliver before you have a Pap smear. The reason for waiting is that the test might otherwise show any inflammatory process that took place after the birth, rather than true abnormalities of the cells. It is not unusual for a Pap smear to show changes due to the birth process. It is also easier to do a Pap smear after six weeks because the cervix is still not fully closed, meaning that the speculum does not need to be placed as high.
Six weeks after the birth of your child, your cervix is still not totally healed. Should you choose to have a pap smear sooner, have a second pap smear a few weeks after the original test.
In most cases, the birth of your baby washes away any abnormality in your cervical cells. Statistically there will be less inflammation if you wait until eight weeks after childbirth. Doing a pap smear after eight weeks also means that your postpartum bleeding will have subsided.
According to American Pregnancy Association, 1 in 10 pap smears show some form of abnormality. That does not mean there are serious problems. Doing more testing will help in streamlining the diagnosis.
Tags: eight weeks, weeks after, smear after, your cervix, after birth, birth your
