How to Prepare for Your First Pap Smear

Turning 21 is a significant milestone for several reasons. Some may occur to you, like reaching the legal drinking age in the U.S., and some may not. If you have a cervix, reaching your 21st birthday means it’s time for you to start getting Pap smears. 

You might’ve heard less-than-pleasant things about this kind of testing. Your Pap smear doesn’t have to be a source of worry, though. If it’s your first time, fear of the unknown is probably playing a big role in any concern you have. 

Board-certified OB/GYNs Charis Trench-Simmons, MD, and Lorenza Simmons, MD, developed this guide to help. Here’s a look at what to expect for your first Pap smear with our gynecology team here at Prestige Healthcare OBGYN in Atlanta, Georgia. 

What happens at a Pap smear 

If you want to defend against cervical cancer, there’s no better tool than a Pap smear. This test lets us evaluate cells from your cervix to identify precancerous or cancerous activity. 

Named after its inventor, Greek doctor George Papanicolaou, the Pap smear gives Dr. Simmons or Dr. Trench-Simmons a way to collect a small sample of cells from your cervix. 

During your Pap smear, you lie back on a table. We have you scoot your butt close to the front edge of the table and put your heels in rests called stirrups. You won’t be in this position for long.

Dr. Trench-Simmons or Dr. Simmons inserts a specialized device called a speculum into your vagina, then gently opens the speculum. That holds the walls of your vagina open so we can see your cervix. 

You might feel pressure from the speculum, but it shouldn’t hurt. Tell us if you’re uncomfortable so we can make adjustments to help you. 

Then, Dr. Simmons or Dr. Trench-Simmons uses a soft brush and a small stick-like instrument to take cell samples from your cervix. That only takes a few seconds. The whole process should be over in 10 minutes or less. 

How to prepare

For a couple of days before your appointment, don’t douche, use any suppositories, or apply anything topically to your vagina. Also, avoid sex for those two days. All of that ensures that nothing is in the way of the cell sample we need to collect. 

You don’t need to dress in any particular way for your appointment. We give you a gown to change into at our office. 

Finally, if you have any questions, write them down and bring us your list. Our team wants you to feel as comfortable as possible, and we can walk through any queries or concerns before we start your Pap smear. 

The right Pap smear schedule for you

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends starting Pap smears at age 21. From there, the right schedule depends on you and the testing you get. 

While you’re in your 20s, experts recommend a Pap smear every three years. Once you turn 30, if you get a co-test — a Pap smear paired with an HPV test — you can go five years between cervical cancer screenings.

That assumes you have a normal risk for this kind of cancer. If you have a family history of cervical cancer, tell our team. We can tailor a screening schedule based on your risk level. 

No matter how frequently you need Pap smears, we’re here to make them as comfortable as possible. To talk with us about what to expect or to schedule your first cervical cancer screening, call our office or book an appointment online today.