Abnormal Pap Smear Specialist

Orange Blossom Women's Group

Board Certified OB-GYNS, Midwives & Advanced Nurse Practitioners located in New Port Richey, FL & Land O' Lakes, FL

To reduce your risk for complications from cervical cancer, Reut Bardach, MD, and the team of specialists at Orange Blossom Women’s Group offer routine Pap smears at their OB/GYN office in Trinity, Florida. If the results of your test come back abnormal, the providers offer additional testing and work closely with you to address cancer or other causes of abnormal Pap smear results. Learn more about what causes abnormal Pap smear results and what you need to do by calling Orange Blossom Women’s Group or requesting a consultation online today.

Abnormal Pap Smear Q & A

What is a Pap smear?

A Pap smear is a test to evaluate cells at the opening of your cervix. The Orange Blossom Women’s Group team offers Pap smears as part of your routine pelvic exam.

You should start having regular Pap smears by the age of 21 or within three years of becoming sexually active.

During your exam, your provider inserts a swab through your vaginal canal to collect cells for further evaluation at a medical lab. The test may cause some pressure but typically isn’t painful.

What does an abnormal Pap smear mean?

A Pap smear is a preventive test that can identify cervical cancer in its earliest stages. However, abnormal Pap smear results don’t always mean you have cancer.

There are several reasons why your Pap smear may come back abnormal including underlying health conditions like:

Herpes
Infection
Inflammation
Genital warts

You may also have abnormal Pap smear results if you had sex prior to your test. You may also have dysplasia, a condition where you have precancerous cells in your cervix that can eventually turn into cancer.

What happens after an abnormal Pap smear?

The first thing the team at Orange Blossom Women’s Group will do following abnormal Pap smear results is to retest you. The providers may also recommend a DYSIS colposcopy, a diagnostic test that uses a special microscope to look at your cervix.

During a colposcopy, your doctor may perform a biopsy to remove a piece of tissue from your cervix for further testing to confirm or rule out cancer.

If additional testing determines you have precancerous or cancerous cells, your provider may recommend a procedure to remove the cells. This may involve cryosurgery to freeze and destroy the cells or a loop-electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) that uses a heated loop-shaped instrument to remove cervical tissue.

Your provider continues to monitor your cervical health through follow-up pelvic exams and additional Pap smears. They can determine how often you need preventive screenings based on your existing health, your age, and the results of your previous screenings.

If it’s been more than a year since your last Pap smear, schedule an appointment with the Orange Blossom Women’s Group team by booking online or calling the office today.

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