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DrSugar is in the house! This week she's answering questions about the often dreaded annual gynecological exam. Dear DrSugar, I am confused about how frequently I am supposed to have a pap smear. I am 28 and mine have always been normal, and I am now married and monogamous. Should I have a pap every year or every other year? Do the recommendations change with age? If I don't need a pap smear Read more
We're all invited to Kathy Griffin's pap smear and vajazzlement — Scanner Read more
DIY isn't a term I like to associate with my health — I'm cool with a DIY manicure, but when it comes to something as important as screening for cancer I'm not doing it myself. After an online pharmacy in the UK launched new DIY pap smear tests that screen for cervical-cancer causing HPV, medical professionals are cautioning women against them. But the reasoning is a little counterintuitive. Read more
I don't know what's worse about this PSA from CBS. That it's airing now, in 2009, or that the creator described his a-ha moment like this: "This project on pap smears started during dinner at Il Mulino, a well-known Italian restaurant in Manhattan's West Village." Scheduling a pap smear isn't bad advice per se, but it makes a terrible Christmas present. "Honey, I scheduled your annual — they Read more
The annual Pap smear could become a relic if a new DNA test proves as effective as promised. According to a study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, a new screening involving DNA could be better than all other tests in detecting HPV and cervical cancer. For women over 30, the test would only have to be performed every three, five, or 10 years, which would mean an end to Read more
I'm sure going for your annual exam at the gynecologist isn't top on your list. I don't mind the breast examination, but spreading eagle for that lovely Pap smear pretty much bites it. I usually just close my eyes and wish for it to be over without really caring too much about what the doc is doing down there. Knowing that those check-ups keep me healthy makes it a little more bearable, but Read more
Women have been getting Pap tests for over 60 years to test for cervical cancer. Now two studies show that the test that detects HPV, a virus that can cause certain types of cervical cancer, may be far more effective at catching malignancies. One of the studies tested more than 10,000 women between the ages of 30 and 69. The HPV test detected 94.6% of the abnormal growths that lead to cervical Read more
As women, we all have to go for our yearly visit to the gynecologist. It's no fun, but we know it's good for us. Somehow talking about how much it sucks makes me feel better, so I want to know, when you go for your annual gynecologist appointment... Going to the Gyno - Which is Worse? Being naked under all those bright lights Wearing the scratchy paper gown with the free Read more
This question is from a Group Therapy post in our TrèsSugar Community. Add your advice in the comments! I'm 17 and looking to get birth control. According to my doctor, I need to get a pap smear/vaginal exam before I can get a prescription. Now, I'm kind of inclined to worry, and I hate doctor appointments to begin with, so I would be worried about a pap smear anyway. Except there's one thing Read more
Mitt Romney told a St. Louis reporter yesterday that if he were president he would "get rid of" Planned Parenthood. Romney specifically said, "Planned Parenthood, we're gonna get rid of that," when discussing programs he would cut. Since the president of the United States can't eliminate Planned Parenthood altogether as it's not part of the government, Romney meant he would eliminate all federal Read more
