The Papanicolaou test is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially precancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix or colon. Abnormal findings are often followed up by more sensitive diagnostic procedures and, if warranted, interventions that aim to prevent progression to cervical cancer.
How do you prepare for a smear test?
Smear test top tips: How to make cervical screening more...
- Time your appointment with your period.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Ask for a woman to do the test.
- Ask for a smaller speculum.
- Put the speculum in yourself.
- Ask to change position.
- Don't use lubricant.
- Use painkillers if necessary.
Do I need to do anything before a smear test?
Don't use any creams, medication or lubricants in your vagina before your smear. Jess advises: "These things can also get into the sample and make it difficult to see. "It doesn't actually effect the result but it can make it hard for the person who's looking at the sample to see what it is."
