Can I Have Sex Before a Pap Smear
Repeat after me: no penetrative sex 24 hours before a pap smear! It seems like a pretty intense rule, merely there'due south a serious reason we should pay attending, and it can accept serious implications for our wellness.
"You don't want [sperm] hanging around making it difficult for your OB/GYN to interpret the results. Maybe schedule some intimacy time for afterward," said Dr. Lisa Masterson, an OB-GYN.
A pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer that checks for abnormal cells taken from the cervix. It's a really important test nosotros should never skip or half-ass, considering a pap smear can also cheque for HPV. "The cells from the cervix are and so evaluated past a pathologist. When the pap smear is sent to the pathologist for testing, it'due south e'er all-time not to have whatsoever interfering cells, including yeast, bacteria, or other unnecessary inflammation that tin make the results less reliable," said Dr. Sherry Ross, writer of She-Ology. The Definitive Guide to Women'due south Intimate Health.
If yous're having sex with a new partner, y'all will take an increased likelihood of new inflammation or a vaginal infection, which you lot want to avoid right earlier a pap smear. "Symptoms for a vaginal infection may take a day or ii to appear, so pay attention to any unusual discomfort in the vagina. If you feel the coast is clear and there are no signs of an infection, you can definitely get a pap smear test," Dr. Ross said.
When in doubt, postpone your pap smear a few days to ensure there are not whatsoever unnecessary vaginal obstacles that tin can lead to a false positive upshot.
If you accept a pap smear scheduled during your period, claret tin can also brand the results inaccurate. "If at that place are signs of haemorrhage, in the form of red blood cells, on the slide being evaluated, the normal cells from the cervix may be more difficult to evaluate," Dr. Ross said. If you're seeing the dr. for a problem like irregular bleeding, however, so go ahead with the appointment, but if it is routine, so reschedule.
Ultimately, you just don't desire to blur the view. "You don't want anything in at that place that would make it difficult to look at the cervical cell sample or that might obscure aberrant cells," Dr. Masterson said.
That means it's not just the sperm that may be there, simply also whatsoever of your other substances, such as lube. "So actually information technology's not just the swimmers, but lubricants or spermicide. They could vesture a condom, because information technology's not the act, but the fluids, so that also goes for not douching or using whatever vaginal medications too," Dr. Masterson said.
Source: https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Can-You-Have-Sex-Before-Pap-Smear-44266711
0 Response to "Can I Have Sex Before a Pap Smear"
Post a Comment