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Pelvic Exam and Pap Test
A pelvic exam and Pap test are both normal and important parts of taking care of your body. This is true whether you are heterosexual, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, married, single, sexually active or not sexually active.
During the exam, a health care provider will check your pelvic area. This includes your vulva (external organs). A Pap test is done to examine your internal reproductive organs—your cervix, ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus and vagina. A Pap test is usually a part of a regular pelvic exam.
What to Expect at Your Visit
When you visit one of PPIN’s health centers for a pelvic exam and Pap test, the first thing you will do is complete some important paperwork. To reduce your wait time, you may download and complete the paperwork ahead of time and bring it with you to your appointment.
After speaking with a health center assistant about your information and any concerns you may have about possible infections, you will be asked to undress from the waist down and cover yourself with a drape that will be provided to you. The clinician will then step in and the examination will begin.
Your clinician will visually examine your vagina to check for signs of irritation, discharge, cysts, genital warts or other visible infections. Next, the clinician will insert a speculum into your vagina. Speculums come in various sizes and the clinician will choose the appropriate size to use. Once inserted, the speculum is used to separate the walls of the vagina so that the cervix can be seen. When the speculum is in place, the clinician will check for any irritation, growth or abnormal discharge from the cervix. Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may be tested for by getting a swab of cervical discharge which may be collected at this point if you have asked for STI testing.
A tiny brush or spatula is used in order to collect cells from the cervix for a Pap test. The cells are tested for abnormalities—the presence of precancerous or cancerous cells. The cell sample will be sent to a laboratory, and the results will be sent back to the clinician within a few weeks.
Lastly, the clinician—while wearing an examination glove—will insert one or two lubricated fingers into the vagina while using the other hand to press down on the lower abdomen. The clinician will do this in order to feel the internal organs of the pelvis between the two fingers in the vagina and the fingers on the abdomen. This allows for the clinician to: examine the size, shape and position of the uterus; check for any pain or tenderness which may indicate infection; feel if there is any swelling in the fallopian tubes; or to see if there are cysts, tumors, or enlarged ovaries. It is important to tell the clinician if you feel pain or discomfort during the exam.
Unless told otherwise by your clinician, a pelvic exam and Pap test should be done yearly. All of PPIN’s services are 100 percent confidential.
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Health Services for Women
