So Who Really Needs Pap Tests, Anyway?

A 45 year-old woman once came into my clinic for a Pap test to screen for cervical cancer. While no patients that I know actually like having Paps done, for this individual it was truly a traumatic experience. You see, she was cognitively delayed. Her view of the world was more like that of a seven year old. She did not understand, and she was scared. Paul Hartlaub, MD, MSPH

Because she was a new patient to me, I asked for more information. I found out from her and her reliable caretakers that she had never actually been sexually active. You can imagine her relief when I told her that she did not need Pap tests because research indicates that only women who have had sexual intercourse are at significant risk for developing cancer of the cervix.

So who needs to have Pap tests done, and who doesn’t? The US Preventive Services Taskforce sums it up well:

Pap tests are strongly recommended for all women who have been sexually active and have a cervix (the part of the uterus that is tested with a Pap) .

· When should you start having Paps? Start at age 21, or three years after starting sexual activity, which ever comes first.

· How often should you have Paps? Every 3 years appears to be just as beneficial as having them every year.

· When can you stop? Since cervical cancer is less likely after middle age, stopping Pap tests at age 65 makes sense if recent tests have been done and were normal.

Check with your doctor or nurse practitioner to see if Pap tests are right for you. Visit Proven Health Ways for more information about Pap tests and other prevention activities.