The three year guideline does indeed apply, but it was established because it reduces the risk of unnecessary medical intervention without raising the risk of cervical cancer in young females who are newly sexually active.
You can read a good explanation as to why on this page (http://www.obgmanagement.com/article_pages.asp?AID=3450&UID=) from OBG Management:
Why wait 3 years after onset of intercourse for first Pap test?
Care is not compromised
Delaying screening until at least 3 years after coitarche does not compromise the diagnosis of high-grade lesions, yet does allow discovery and eradication long before they become malignant. On the other hand, screening young women sooner than 3 years after first sexual intercourse risks diagnosing numerous self-limited HPV infections and transient low-grade dysplastic lesions, which have very low premalignant potential.
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Date: 2009-04-29 03:52 pm (UTC)You can read a good explanation as to why on this page (http://www.obgmanagement.com/article_pages.asp?AID=3450&UID=) from OBG Management:
Why wait 3 years after onset of intercourse for first Pap test?
Care is not compromised
Delaying screening until at least 3 years after coitarche does not compromise the diagnosis of high-grade lesions, yet does allow discovery and eradication long before they become malignant. On the other hand, screening young women sooner than 3 years after first sexual intercourse risks diagnosing numerous self-limited HPV infections and transient low-grade dysplastic lesions, which have very low premalignant potential.