Pap SmearYour teen is quickly becoming a young woman, and you may be wondering more about how to keep her healthy and when she should start seeing an OBGYN. Perhaps you’re even unsure about how often you're supposed to visit your OBGYN for Pap smears and checkups. Here’s all the information you need to make an informed decision regarding women’s health.
What is a Pap smear?
A pap smear is a simple diagnostic test that involves collecting cells from the cervix to look for precancerous and cancerous cells. By keeping up with routine pap smears, an OBGYN can detect early and suspicious changes in cervical cells to provide early interventions to remove the cells before they turn cancerous. A pap smear is not the same thing as a pelvic exam.
Do I need a Pap smear?
If you are a woman then the answer is “yes”. Every woman will need to get regular Pap smears from an OBGYN, as this is the best tool for catching precancerous cells before they turn cancerous. So, just how often do you need a Pap smear? The most recent recommendation from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says that,
  • Women between the ages of 21 to 29 should get one every three years
  • Women between the ages of 30 to 65 should get one (along with an HPV test) every five years
  • Women with weakened immune systems (or women with HIV), as well as women who’ve had precancerous cells in the past, may need to come in more often for Pap smears (this is something you’ll want to discuss with your gynecologist)
What does an abnormal Pap smear mean?
Getting abnormal results back doesn’t necessarily mean that you have cancer. Many women will deal with an abnormal Pap smear at some point and it won’t be due to cervical cancer. Other problems that can cause abnormal Pap results include:
  • STIs such as herpes (HSV-2), trichomoniasis, and the human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Inflammation
  • Infection
  • Recent sexual activity
If you do receive an abnormal Pap, your gynecologist will recommend getting another test performed to check those results. If results are still abnormal then further testing will be required to check for precancerous or cancerous cells.
Whether you need to schedule an appointment for you or your teen daughter, an OBGYN is going to be an invaluable part of your medical team, providing everything from support and advice to annual checkups and Pap smears. It’s important that everyone find a gynecologist that they trust.

Office Hours

Monday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tuesday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Wednesday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed

Testimonial

  • Dr Zandomeni delivered my twins two years ago. I was so scared my whole pregnancy thinking I could miscarry at anytime due to being multiples and she always made me feel better. She gave me peace of mind and made sure I always felt very comfortable with everything that had to do with my pregnancy. Every time I had a scared she would make sure my pregnancy was still going good and would talk to me with such a sweet voice that would really calm me down! I would highly recommend her

    ...
    Show More - Maribel

  • Dr. Zandomeni is the absolute best! She delivered my baby almost 7 years and I have not gone anywhere else for all my women needs. She truly cares about her patients. The office is so clean and beautiful.

    - Megan

  • Dr.Z just delivered my second baby via induction. I was terrified the whole time and she made me feel so at ease. My delivery was fast and painless, I am so grateful she was my delivery doctor. Appt wait times aren’t excessive and she follows up with you which I feel so many drs don’t these days. You can definitely tell this is her passion. I highly recommend working with dr Zandomeni and can’t recommend her enough.

    ...
    Show More - J Cap

Contact Us

!
!
!

Please do not submit any Protected Health Information (PHI).

Error!

    Our Location

    Find us on the map

    --mi

    Crossroads Women's Health

    Address

    1307 Ridge Rd., Suite 1106
    Rockwall, TX 75087, US

    Contact Information (214) 771-9910

    [email protected]

    (214) 771-9910 1307 Ridge Rd. Suite 1106 Rockwall, TX 75032

    Crossroads Women's Health PLLC