Most women have heard the term “pap smears” but not all of them know what exactly the procedure entails, what the purpose of it is, or why or when they need one. A pap smear, also called cervical cytology, is performed to check for cervical cancer and sometimes HPV (the human papilloma virus). Women under 30 years of age should get a pap smear ever three years–and they don’t need the additional HPV screening. Women 30 years and older should get both the pap and HPV screening every five years.

It is important to get pap smears regularly so that if there is cancer or other issues, it can be caught early and treated. If you have more questions about the pap smear process, why you need one, or if you are ready to schedule yours–contact our office (830) 629-6462.