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What Do Doctors Do During a Pap Smear?

A pap smear is a procedure a clinical physician conducts in order to test for cervical cancer. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, women under the age of 30 should have a pap smear once a year. Depending on their cervical health history, women over the age of 30 can sometimes receive a doctor's recommendation to wait two to three years between pap smears. The procedure is simple and quick, and though uncomfortable in some respects, it is relatively painless for most women.

  1. Position

    • When a patient is in the examination room waiting for a pap smear, the physician will request that she undress from the waist down and lay on her back on the examination table. Her feet will need to be positioned in the stirrups, and she will need to scoot herself down to the end of the table so that her knees are spread apart and her buttocks is on the edge of the table. This position allows the doctor easy access for completion of a pap smear and pelvic exam.

    Speculum Insertion

    • Once a woman is in the proper position, the physician will insert an instrument called a speculum into her vagina with the help of a lubricating gel. This instrument widens the vaginal canal and holds it open while the exam is completed. This part of the procedure can be uncomfortable for some women, especially if they have not had regular sexual intercourse or have especially narrow vaginal canals. Relaxing the pelvic muscles helps to ease the pressure and discomfort.

    Cleaning the Cervix

    • Once the speculum is in place, the physician will insert a long cotton swab into the patient's vagina. The purpose of the cotton swab is to gently clean the cervix before collecting cell samples for testing.

    Collection of Cells

    • Keeping the speculum in place, the physician will remove the first cotton swab and insert either a second one or a small brush into the vagina. The physician will rub this swab or brush gently against the woman's cervix to collect the cells needed for testing.

    Submission of Cells

    • Once the cells have been collected, the physician will remove the cotton swab and the speculum from the woman's vagina, and either conduct a general pelvic exam or end the appointment. The physician will then send the cell samples to a lab to be tested for abnormalities that indicate either cancerous or precancerous tissue growth, or for signs of a yeast infection or sexually transmitted disease. A normal pap smear result means that none of these problems was detected.

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