Should You Get a Pap Test During Your Period? Safety & Accuracy

Getting a Pap Smear During Your Period

Women often wonder if they can get a Pap smear while menstruating. Many feel more comfortable rescheduling the screening test that checks for cervical cancer and abnormalities if their period falls around that time.

What is a Pap Smear?

A Pap smear is a routine gynecological procedure where cells are gently scraped from the cervix during a pelvic exam using a specialized brush or spatula. The collected cells are examined under a microscope to detect any precancerous or cancerous changes.

Regular Pap smear screenings are vital for early detection and prevention of cervical cancer. Guidelines recommend women begin getting Pap smears every 3 years beginning at age 21, switching to every 5 years with HPV co-testing between ages 30-65.

Can You Have a Pap Smear on Your Period?

Getting a Pap smear while on your period is technically possible. However, doing so can impact the accuracy of test results and quality of the cell sample collected.

Many doctors prefer to reschedule Pap smears if a woman is actively menstruating to prevent interference from blood and obtain the best cervical cell specimens possible.

Potential Issues with Getting Tested During Menstruation

There are a few reasons why providers often delay Pap smears if a woman is on her period:

• Sample contamination Blood can obscure cervical cells, making specimens harder to interpret.
• Infection risk Pap tools can transfer blood increasing uterine infection chances.
• Pain/discomfort Periods increase cervical sensitivity making the procedure more painful.
• Difficulty visualizing Blood makes it harder for doctors to properly visualize the cervix.

That said, it is still possible to collect an adequate Pap smear specimen during menstruation. The decision ultimately depends on the providers discretion after evaluating if heavy bleeding would significantly impact cell collection or visualization.

Preparing for a Pap Smear During Your Period

If you must push through and get a Pap smear while menstruating, there are a few things you can do to prepare:

• Alert your doctor ahead to expect bleeding so they can take precautions.
• Schedule the appointment on lighter flow days if possible.
• Refrain from using tampons for a few hours before the exam.
• Take over-the-counter pain medication an hour beforehand if prone to menstrual cramps with exams.
• Wear a pad and not tampon to your visit to enable easier access.

Be sure to communicate any concerns or preference to reschedule if you anticipate feeling too uncomfortable, anxious or self-conscious about bleeding during the procedure.

What to Expect During the Exam

During the pelvic exam portion of your Pap smear when menstruating, you can expect:

• Use of additional tools Swabs may help clear blood obstructing the cervix.
• More time It may take longer for the cells to be collected properly.
• Possible discomfort You may experience more tenderness at touch.
• Extra lubricant Water-soluble gels make insertion of speculum easier.

Be sure to relax your muscles, breathe slowly, and communicate any discomfort so your doctor can adjust pressure as needed during the procedure.

After Getting a Pap on Your Period

Usually there are no restrictions in terms of daily activities after having a Pap smear while menstruating. However, for 24 hours avoid:

• Douching
• Using tampons
• Vaginal sex
• Vigorous exercise

These activities can introduce bacteria risking infection due to microscopic abrasions that commonly occur during Pap smears especially if any bleeding was present.

Pap Test Results When Collected During Periods

Menstruation introduces blood into cervical cell samples which gets sent to the lab for analysis after Pap smears. So how does getting tested during your period impact Pap smear results?

False Positive Results

Hemoglobin from red blood cells can distort actual cervical cells leading to abnormal findings triggering false positive results for conditions like precancer or cancer when none exists.

This risk of false positives requiring unnecessary repeat testing and undue anxiety is why many providers choose to exercise caution scheduling Pap smears for times when a woman is unlikely to be menstruating.

False Negative Results

On the other hand, blood can also obscure the visibility of abnormal cervical cells by masking subtle cell changes. Heavy bleeding causes a dilute sampling making slides appear superficially normal.

This increases the chance of false negative Pap results when abnormal cells evade detection. Hence some women are given a false sense of security, while underlying cervical disease remains undiagnosed.

Inconclusive Results

Excessive blood often yields inadequate cell samples leading cytology labs to categorize Pap smear results as unsatisfactory. This requires repeating the Pap test again after your period ends to obtain conclusive results.

So while inconclusive findings dont indicate disease, it can cause frustration needing to return for repeat Pap testing when attempting collection during heavy flow days.

Normal Results

Obviously clear, normal Pap findings are reassuring whether testing was performed during menses or not presuming an adequate number of cervical cells were properly sampled.

However with normal results, patients may still wonder if subtle abnormalities were obscured by blood potentially giving false reassurance. This uncertainty keeps many doctors highly cautious about sampling during visible bleeding.

Key Considerations for Pap Testing With Periods

A few important things to remember when contemplating getting a Pap smear while menstruating:

Delay Testing if Heavy Flow

Ideally reschedule if you anticipate heavier flow around the appointment date which can greatly impact cell sampling. Lighter spotting may be acceptable for some providers.

Communicate Menstrual Status

Give your doctor advance notice if you expect your period or are actively bleeding before the exam. This allows them to decide if sampling is appropriate or should be postponed.

Recognize Repeat Testing May Occur

Understand that follow up repeat testing is more likely if collected during menses due to risks of inadequate samples. An inconclusive result causes frustration, but protects against false readings.

So in summary, getting a Pap smear while on your period is possible although caution is warranted. Doctors may recommend rescheduling appointments to prevent blood interference and reproducibility issues causing inaccurate Pap test results. Clear communication around menstrual cycles ultimately empowers both patient and provider to make the soundest decision.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.