Every 2 years?? Then every 3?!

[missjebbit.livejournal.com]

I just called to make my yearly gynegologist appointment and was told I can still go in for an exam and to get my pills renewed but pap smears are only every 2 years as long as your tests are coming back okay. Then once you're in your 30s it's every three years! Shouldn't it be MORE often as we age?? Pal smears aren't pleasant but at least I know on a yearly basis I am healthy down there. I'm angry about this. Surely I can request it every year if I want? But I doubt my insurance will pay for it to be done yearly.

Anyone else upset about this?? I like knowing the ole hooha is doin what it's supposed
to :(

Comments

[sand-woman.livejournal.com]

It is based on facts - there have been research studies done which I know some people on here follow so could give you the links to if you wanted. I live in Britain, and the NHS found that it got the best results by testing from the age of 25 three yearly and that is what is normal for here.

[xx-hb-uk-xx.livejournal.com]

In Scotland, you get a pap smear from the age of 20. Not sure why it is different though. I've yet to schedule mine -/

[sand-woman.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure why it's different. I was part of a trial they did in England about four years ago, of doing them for under 25s and I guess it didn't work out to help because they didn't take it up.

[misspaigeb.livejournal.com]

It's not really necessary to test every year if you've had several normal paps in a row. Also, it's not an overall indication of how healthy you are "down there" - just that there were no abnormal cells detected on your cervix at the time.

The reason they test less often when you're in your 30's is because it's assumed that by 30 many people are in a monogamous relationship and/or married by that time, so their risk for contracting HPV and thus, developing cervical cancer, goes down.

[eunicemcgee.livejournal.com]

Yeah, all of this (especially the pap smears not being the same as a comprehensive exam). If you do fall into the monogamous by 30 category, your likelihood of a new exposure to HPV is slim, to say the least. If you have a new partner/partners, I'd just tell my doctor that, and that because of my situation I'd like to keep a more frequent testing schedule. My insurance still covers one yearly pap, despite the less frequent recommendation.

[incarnated-joy.livejournal.com]

Honestly, if I had to go for one every year, I wouldn't go. I'm glad that here in the UK it's once ever two to three years once you hit a certain age/become sexually active AND that you don't need to go through it to go on the pill or any other type of hormonal birth control.

[cozmic-oceanz.livejournal.com]

wait, so what if you have a new partner soon after getting a pap smear and had unprotected sex? your insurance won't pay for getting tested unless it's two years later??

[eunicemcgee.livejournal.com]

Well, HPV is so slow to cause serious changes, that even if she had a pap smear, then a new partner immediately, three years later really shouldn't be an issue despite the new partner. You're still going to catch any abnormalities far in advance of them becoming a serious issue. Especially in the US where pap smears are done so overly-frequently anyway, I imagine if you told your doctor that you had a new partner and would prefer to be tested every other year or even every year instead of every three, they'd probably explain the logic behind the recommended schedule but still ultimately let you determine when to get tested.

[burning-moon117.livejournal.com]

As you age, your cervix is less susceptible to things. Basically as a young teen, your cervix and is...raw and red looking? And then as you get into your mid-20s, it doesn't look as raw, and it's pink. It's hard to explain.

I've seen pictures of it in a nursing class, but I can't really find any online to share.

[katrina-splat.livejournal.com]

This confuses me...I can understand that the look of a developing part of the body may change but what does the colour have to do with how "susceptible it is to things?"

[burning-moon117.livejournal.com]

I was just trying to describe appearance. Red as in bloody or raw looking. Like raw meat, raw skin with a few layers off, etc. And pink as in not raw looking.

[grace-is-gone.livejournal.com]

http://www.acog.org/acog_districts/dist_notice.cfm?recno=13&bulletin=3161

From the ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) Recommendations bulletin:

# Women from ages 21 to 30 be screened every two years instead of annually, using either the standard Pap or liquid-based cytology.
# Women age 30 and older who have had three consecutive negative cervical cytology test results may be screened once every three years with either the Pap or liquid-based cytology.
# Women with certain risk factors may need more frequent screening, including those who have HIV, are immunosuppressed, were exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) in utero, and have been treated for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2, CIN 3, or cervical cancer.

The rationale are available at the link I provided.

[realt-stea.livejournal.com]

this.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I'm not upset -- I'm pleased about the change in recommendations, as I think that it is an evidence-based guideline that minimizes unnecessary, potentially cervix-damaging medical intervention, reduces the cost burden on the patient (if in the U.S. or other countries with privatized insurance) or the system itself (if in a country with public insurance) without compromising patient health and safety.

Others covered the data basically. I'll just throw in this: I feel like we are often taught to really fear for and about our reproductive health, even when evidence-based medicine shows we are, well, worrying about it too much.

The guideline recommendations don't mean you can't or shouldn't have an annual gynecological exam, if that's common and desired where you're at or if you have other issues you want and/or need to keep on top of. It just means that a pap test does not need to be a part of it and your overall health will still be just as safe.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

As queensugar pointed out, it's just the pap smear that will be missing from your gyn. exam. Your doctor will still palpate your lower abdomen from the outside and check you from the inside (vaginally and anally) with gloved fingers ... along with all the other usual components of a physical exam (breast check, blood pressure, etc.).

[cfoxrun.livejournal.com]

I'm actually jealous. I've been with the same partner for 5 years and i've never had an abnormal pap and i'm really annoyed that I have to go get a pap every year just to get a refill on my birth control pills. I would love to only need a pap every 3 years.