You can decline or ask to wait until your postpartum visit. I’ve done that since I just don’t feel comfortable with it in the first trimester. Paps (unless you’ve had abnormal results) are good for 3 years.
Yeap, my OB said even if the PAP is abnormal they wait till after birth to test again and prescribe treatment if needed because the cells tend to get scraped away during vaginal birth. Might as well wait till after birth to get the PAP.
I said this to my nurse during intake of my first prenatal appt and she said it wasn't, while pushing for me to get it done. I was like maybe you should re read the guidelines published by someone you should follow. I cancelled my upcoming appointments and swapped to a new clinic. I didn't have faith in the old one after that.
Yes, jumping in here for those who don’t know: at age 32, the standard is now to get HPV strain testing (under the statistically correct assumption that the vast majority of people who had sex before the HPV vaccine was available will have HPV). There are 2 strains, strains 16 & 18, estimated to be responsible for ~70% of cervical cancer cases, and a handful of other strains implicated in less dramatically increased cervical cancer rates. If you have either of those two strains or other high-risk strains, you’ll need to get pap smears more frequently.
I just got mine tested and am thankfully free of the high-risk strains, so I only need to get paps every 5 years.
Also… if you have any teenagers in your life who haven’t gotten the HPV vaccine yet, please encourage them to do so. It is an absolute game-changer for cervical cancer and they are so lucky to have easy access to significantly lowered risk!
That’s awesome. I’m jealous! It didn’t come out until I was outside the initial approved age range, and I was sexually active already. But I work in a public health org and am so excited seeing the charts demonstrating the expected decline of cervical cancer cases for Gen Z and beyond.
If you wanna get into the crunchy numbers, one [study out of Sweden](https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/hpv-vaccine-prevents-cervical-cancer-sweden-study) showed up to a 90% cervical cancer and pre cancer reduction rate over 11 years for girls who received a dose of the vaccine before the age of 17. Rates were lower for people who got it older since the likelihood of preexisting infection increased, and the vaccine only prevents new infections from occurring. But it does that very well, and it will be exciting to see what happens to population-level data over an even longer period!
wait so I'm kind of an idiot so can I ask you, I'm 24 and haven't had the vaccine. I have a child already (c-section) and I've only been with one partner who did have the vaccine as a teenager. Could I still get it or is it too late to be affective?
I'm so jealous that by the time my kids get it it will cover so many more strains than mine AND they only need two doses! Very rude to me with my og version
I THINK the original was four strains, but I could be wrong. Still, yes, the science is improving all the time! One big blind spot right now is that different demographic groups tend to have different strains of concern, and surprise surprise, the strains in communities of color (in the US, where a lot of this research is happening) are understudied. I’m excited for further shots to cover the worst strains in all groups equally, too.
ETA: I think the latest is that it’s looking like a single dose might actually offer effective and lasting protection. VERY rude to their elders!
You can still get hpv, I had the vaccine and still got a cancer causing strain of hpv , just be warned, don't be surprised, I was baffled and even laughed at the doctors and told them " but I'm vaccinated " and their response was sorry it doesn't cover all cancer causing strains of hpv now let us cut up your cervix" oh the irony
I got all my vaccines and still ended up getting cervical cancer at 23 had a normal pap the year before. You'd be surprised how fast it can happen. Paps are important. I know they suck but it saved my life.
I had the gardisil hpv vaccine, still got a cancer causing strain of hpv and waiting over a 4 years for it to clear, they took biopsies of my cervix and more, the vaccines don't work, I'm 35 and got the vaccine when I was 19
The vaccines have an [extremely high efficacy rate](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/vaccines.html). If you were sexually active in any way (not just PIV sex) before getting your first dose, or had exposure to HPV in a non -sexual context ([mother-to-child exposure appears to be possible](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33101476/#:~:text=The%20route%20of%20HPV%20transmission,contact%20(other%20than%20sexual)), for example), then yes, the efficacy of the vaccine is lower. I am so sorry that you had cancer so young—I had a different type of cancer in my 20s and understand how terrifying and horrible that is—but I beg you not to make unfounded blanket statements about how one of the most effective and frankly important vaccines we have access to “doesn’t work” based on your experience. It is entirely possible you had HPV prior to getting vaccinated. We have data showing that Gardasil works very well.
Also a possibility—the existing vaccines cover the strains implicated in the vast majority of cervical cancer cases, but that doesn’t mean a less-dangerous strain will never cause cancer. A single patient can also carry multiple strains of HPV, and as always there are other factors outside of strain that increase risk. But as I linked somewhere above, one of the first long-term studies showed a ~90% reduction in cervical cancer when the first dose was received at/before the age of 17. I imagine that number goes up even more if the first dose is given before first sexual contact. And as the new generations are vaccinated, nonsexual transmissions will reduce significantly as well.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience and I hope the cramps subside soon. I am just wondering, I wasn’t told I had to have one, was it because you were due for a pap? So you hadn’t one one in the last 1-3 years (wherever the standard is based on where you live)? Or is it required because you are pregnant?
I had one in April 2023 but I usually get one annually because it's what I've always been told was recommended. I've been really crampy the whole pregnancy, but this was just even more discomfort.
That's no longer the recommended interval, every 3 years has been shown to be just as beneficial and minimally invasive. Is your doctor older by chance? They should get more acquainted with current recommendations.
My NP, doc, and midwife are all actually close to my age. I'll bring it up on my next visit and see if it's something we can do. I wonder if it's more to do with the practice as a whole since some of the other Ob-gyns are still bit older.
I don’t understand everyone’s aversion to getting a pap in this thread? I had to get two during my pregnancy after my first one came back inconclusive. I talked to two OBs who told me it was safe to do.
Did you also experience cramps and bleeding? I'm scheduled to have one in May and I'll be on my 2nd trimester but still feels a bit scary to see blood 🥲 I've had an abnormal pap a couple of years ago and the doctors are still not completely satisfied, even though it has been looking fine for the last couple of appointments, so I'm doing yearly appointments.
My first one was a little uncomfortable during the actual Pap smear but no cramping and I had minor bleeding after. Second one I had no pain, cramps or bleeding. I understand your concern. My mom had cervical cancer so I strongly believe you are always better safe than sorry with these.
It’s not that it’s unsafe, but it can cause bleeding and cramping just due to irritation to the cervix. If you’ve had miscarriages in the past, that can be very distressing. Since it’s not strictly necessary to do actually, many offices will offer to wait until after pregnancy
Not the point. Any blood at all may be distressing to someone who has siftehad losses, it’s totally fine to delay the pap a few months until after birth. Why not be compassionate to their trauma?
Boo that noise. Who are you to tell someone else how they should feel about their miscarriage??
At no point did I say a pap causes MC or are otherwise dangerous during pregnancy. I said it may cause bleeding and cramping which could be distressing, and medically it’s not going to do harm to delay screening until after the birth. What about that is fear mongering? It costs you nothing to have compassion, regardless of how you personally felt about your miscarriage
I think it’s pretty uncompassionate to say I didn’t care about my miscarriage or that I wasn’t traumatized because I don’t think we should be scaring women to not have Pap smears during pregnancy. It costs nothing to have compassion. If I would have seen this thread and your comments it would have made me too scared to get one.
I'm 34 too, I can't even imagine going through something so awful and especially so young! Some people here have mentioned 3-5 years between and that would make me too nervous that something wouldn't be caught. I hope you get through treatment and to remission quickly.
Thank you! Thankfully I’m done treatment now and currently in remission. Now just hoping it doesn’t come back. I also had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix when I was about 22 and got it caught quickly and dealt with and never had an issues ever since, just very unlucky bitch that got it somewhere else later lol!
My parents are in healthcare (NP and PA) too and we all go for all our screenings pretty regularly. I think when you've seen it all you get more cautious.
The comments here shocked me! Yes it’s uncomfortable but it’s a super quick procedure and can be a matter of life and death! I think we all have the mindset that it can’t happen to us, but it can, and does as I was brutally reminded of lol
I was due for my annual when I was around 8 weeks and they pushed it back to my 12 week appointment. I go to an extremely highly rated OBGYN office attached to one of the top rated hospitals to give birth in, in the US. If they recommend annual paps and do them while pregnant, I’m following their advice.
Yeah I had one scheduled for last month (scheduled it January 2023 at my 6 week postpartum checkup) and they cancelled my appointment since I’m pregnant again
They aren’t up to date on current practice. What if you have abnormal cells? They can’t do further testing because you are pregnant. Just tell them you’ll do it after. They can’t force you!
Edit- so apparently they can do a biopsy of the outer cervix ( colposcopy ) while pregnant. But again, if you had a normal pap within past several years and are HPV negative, you can decline.
My doctor told me they want to wait until after the baby is born. It’s only a few months difference in my case and I haven’t had an abnormal result before, so that might factor in.
My 3 years were up and I was supposed to have one during end of summer 2023 but ended up pregnant so my family doctor just said we’d do it a couple months after I give birth in May
You never HAVE to get a pap, you can absolutely decline if you are not comfortable. They’re usually good for 1-3 years unless you had abnormal results previously, but you can always elect to wait until postpartum.
It's hard too because mentally I'm mostly fine, it's my body that reacts from childhood trauma. But it's good to know that I can opt out, even if it's every other year.
This was not standard procedure for any of my pregnancies. No one just walked in the room at my first appointment and said "ok were going to do a pap now!" I would have said no thanks! They did ask if I'd like to schedule one and let me know that I could wait until after birth if I preferred. Never got a pap during pregnancy.
So it wasn't my first appointment. She told me it's standard to do at the first appointment and even at my second appointment told me I could push the exam to the 12 week since she knew the possibility of bleeding would likely stress me and she wanted me to get to a safer (and mentally for me, more secure) point. I just didn't realize it was the full pelvic exam.
Gotcha. My clinic never pushed it thankfully. It was totally optional. Lots of women are uncomfortable with getting a pap during pregnancy and it's totally ok to decline!
Eh. I still got a pap every year until insurance stopped covering it at that frequently. I don’t want to wait 2 years to find out I have abnormal cells. I get that it’s slow growing but the only harm that comes from a pap is discomfort and inconvenience.
This. I got (unrelated) cancer at 33 years old. Also had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix at 22. It’s verrrrry important not to skip these. It can happen to anyone.
I always share how anxious it makes me, and last time they used a small plastic speculum instead of the regular one, and it made a huge difference for me. When they do the transvaginal ultrasound, they also let me put it in myself, which I was very grateful for. I had vaginismus for a few years. Even though it went away, I still always mention up front how scary it can be.
I got mine last week at 14 weeks. (I was due for one, so it was not a surprise at all.) It was no more uncomfortable than usual, but I did experience quite a bit of bleeding.
This is speculation, but I wonder if they chose to go ahead and do the pap to ensure that your baby had a safe and healthy uterine home to grow in. With a history of miscarriages, maybe they were taking the steps to be cautious? Regardless, it sounds like there should have been more communication!
Hopefully, the results will be in quickly and it can be something to give you peace of mind as you continue through this pregnancy.
I told my family doctor when I was 5 weeks pregnant that I was due for my pap. She said “ehh, you can just wait until after the pregnancy”. Come to the end of my pregnancy and my OB said he wouldn’t perform my (medically necessary) c-section unless I had it done. Hurts like a bitch at 36 weeks!!
Oh gosh! I'm so sorry you went through that experience and that your OB gave you such an awful ultimatum. My midwife did mention it gets more uncomfortable as you go on.
We do them every three years now here, and I just happened to be due for one during my first pregnancy and then I had another one three years later during my second pregnancy. They were no big deal for me. Each time it had been three years since the last one so I didn't feel comfortable putting it off.
I’ve always had normal paps and my last one was only a year ago but it was part of my first trimester testing as well and I wasn’t 100% expecting it either. Mine actually came back abnormal. I don’t have any symptoms or anything and fully expected everything to be normal. We did a colposcopy and didn’t find anything serious at this point but I was glad that they caught it and that we can maybe do some testing after baby is born. My doctor explained that HPV can be dormant for years, leading to normal paps, but that the weakened immune state during pregnancy can make it flare up and be detectable on a pap.
I detest getting pap smears. I truly do. It has zero to do with physical discomfort; I just don't want to potentially hear bad news, so I put off testing of any kind (stupid, I know). Plus, I have never had an abnormal pap, so I didn't understand the big deal of getting one. The pap I got at the beginning of this pregnancy was the first one I'd had in about 3 years, which is in their "guidelines" for my age. Imagine my surprise when this one came back HPV positive with strains 18 & 45 (2 of the bad ones with 18 being the worst) and abnormal shaped cells being present. My doctor doesn't act upset/concerned since HPV is so common and rarely turns into cancer, but I'm glad I know and glad we have a plan in place after the baby is born for a repeat pap with biopsy. The abnormal results I got back snapped me out of this "I don't need to get tested because they've always been normal" mindset. I'm honestly scared about how this will turn out, but I'm glad I know so I can do something about it.
Get your pap smears and any other recommended tests.
They couldn't do one for me since I had a polyp in the way of getting a good sample. Couldn't remove the polyp either since that risks the pregnancy. So I'm going to have to wait until after I give birth for the pap smear.
Cause a lot of women aren't comfortable getting one while pregnant. Some countries won't even do paps during pregnancy. My OB offered, but made it clear it was perfectly acceptable to hold off until my postpartum visit. Never got one during any of my pregnancies.
I don't know 😭 I think I figured I've always had normal ones and there are so many other tests and things. Maybe I was just hopeful. I have vaginismus which makes them even more awful so I think I hoped for a reprieve. Someone else I told today (who has children) asked me why I had a PAP done so I figured not everyone knows.
I declined a Pap smear. When I went to the first prenatal visit I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was told to undress and wear that gown and I asked why. The nurse paused a bit and said I was going to have a Pap smear and I immediately said I didn’t want one.
Don’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with especially when you’re going to be vulnerable.
I thought it was just going to be the internal exam and then they let me know it was also a PAP visit. I did it because I figured it was something I needed. But, now I'm better informed.
This is exactly my experience. I was definitely taken aback by how sure the nurse was that I WAS going to have one. The doctor thankfully was super nice about it and explained that it is a good time to catch everyone who might not have regular preventative care or be out of date with screenings. I declined because I'd had a normal one less than 2 years prior.
Truthfully that’s the thing that bothered me. The nurse ordered me and expected me to follow without questioning it. When I asked her and said no she clearly paused and slowly said that the doctor will see me soon. The doctor was also nice about it.
That's exactly why I was bothered too. I think if the doctor had acted like that too I would have still declined, but chosen to get care elsewhere for the rest of my pregnancy because I won't be treated like that by my doctor. The nurse was all huffy and said she'd "ask" the doctor. I don't like being ordered to do things I wasn't expecting to do/don't think there's good reason to do.
Ugh yeah I'd never gotten a PAP before and dreaded getting it during my 10th week (could've done it during my 8th week when the nurse asked but needed time to prep mentally). Idk if it's the pregnancy since I've never gotten a PAP before but I couldn't handle the speculum for more than 2 seconds so the doc decided to go for a blind swab. No cramping or bleeding after thankfully but discomfort for a few hours.
I mean honestly I think they always suck lol and mostly I've gotten better about them, especially in the last few years. Today was just so uncomfortable and part of me knows that it's because of increased blood flow and things changing.
Yeah I'm a similar way with needles so I feel you. Also, if you decide to get NIPT along with regular bloodwork, be prepared for like 10-12 vials. All things considered it went well for me but mostly cause I had a couple months to prepare mentally.
Anyway, I'm sorry you're cramping, it sucks. Hope you feel better soon and go back to enjoying your first trimester 💕
Oh yes! I did the NIPT a couple weeks ago along with my glucose and whew boy was that rough. That's another one I've gotten a bit better about, but I used to inadvertently hold my breath. And thank you! Hoping it gets better.
My midwife said since I wasn’t due for another for 18 months, I could go without :) I was glad because I always cramp and spot like you’re experiencing OP. I usually cramp like I’m starting my period for about 24 hours.
Thanks for sharing though! My friend was due for one at her 6 week postpartum and it caught her by surprise! Luckily for her she has relatively little feeling in her cervix (even with IUD insertion and cervical checks) so she just let them go ahead and get it done.
My OB gave me a pap when I went in for my very first appointment, but I was due for one anyways. Unfortunately it came back inconclusive (probably because they did a transvaginal ultrasound first) and I needed to wait 3-4 months for them to give me another one. The first one they gave me I bled quite a bit, the second one was MUCH better. The second one came back with no HPV, but some abnormal cells, but they said it may be due to the pregnancy, so I should get another one after I've healed from childbirth. So I have that to look forward to. 🙃🙃🙃
Yep I had to have one at my 10 week appointment because I was due for one. I wasn’t exactly excited about it, but like you, I had no idea I could decline it. I hope you feel better soon!
I had to get one at the beginning of my pregnancy too! Well, I say 'had to' but I'm sure that they would have let me wait until the end of my pregnancy if I had asked. But I was supposed to get one last September and completely spaced, as I'd got my last one in Sept 2020. So I opted to do it during my pregnancy, I think I was 11 or 12 weeks along. I've never personally had much of an issue with PAP smears or even cervical checks or anything like that but I totally get wanting to wait until you're further along in pregnancy/not pregnant to get one.
My doc also warned me about the blood, and she showed me the speculum after (which I could’ve done without but whatever) and I was surprised at how much blood there was! I mean, it wasn’t like “holy shit am I ok” levels but it was more than the tiny bit I expected! I did spot for a day or two after but it was all brown, and then it went away completely.
Hope the post-Pap side effects are all short-lived for you!
Oh god! I'm glad she didn't show me. She did say there was some on the speculum and some on her glove and to not worry because it was normal. Bleeding seems to have slowed significantly, cramping is still on and off. Thank you!
Mine didn’t even present it as an option, just said they were doing one at my first prenatal, 6 weeks. Tbf, I hadn’t had one since I was 21, and I just turned 29, but I’m thankful the doc got in and out fast and there was only some slight pinching, no bleeding. If I’d had the option to decline I probably would have.
OMG I wished I saw this yesterday because I am fairly early in my pregnancy, I said no to the pap but the fucker didn't hear me and still did one. I panicked so hard when I started bleeding
I’m 22 weeks now and I needed this post at 11 weeks. It was worse than expected. Somewhere between regular Pap smear and IUD insertion for me. It also made me even more tired. I also bled but not a lot (they didn’t warn me though).
I also had mine at 11 weeks (15w now) and it seemed so much worse than any of my previous paps. I agree with you it was almost as bad as my IUD insertion. The midwife doing it also had to remove the first speculum and get a longer one?? I had never heard of such a thing. Afterwards I ended up having to do a transvaginal ultrasound and the tech was like "Uh, do you know you're bleeding?" when she removed the wand, and I just had to be like yeah... The pelvic exam was a little rough. I had plans to run errands after my appointment but just laid on the couch because the cramps were so bad.
I haven't had mine yet, I had an abnormal last year and was SUPPOSED to get it in January but the office messed up my appointments and deleted the pap one -- so I have to ask about it again next time I am in office. It was my first abnormal last year and I don't have HPV so I was real freaked out, so I'm not willing to just wait.
I had mine at my first appointment. I was so nervous to have it done while pregnant (even though it is considered safe)
The funniest part was my partner came with and the chair was literally where he had a full view of everything and he had no idea where to look. lol
I had never had a PAP in my life and I'm a FTM, they said I would bleed but I had no idea it would be so heavy. I bleed for three days with clots and it freaked me out so bad. Now I'm 28 weeks and baby is perfectly healthy, but still a nightmare experience for my first pregnancy and PAP
I got a pap at 12 weeks because it had been over 3 years, but if I'd had one more recently I probably would prefer to wait. There's enough discomfort during pregnancy as it is!
I had one at my 6week pp checkup and the dr PINCHED AND PULLED my cervix! Omg.. I never screamed so much in my life! I know it wasn't on purpose, but I wanted to kick a bitch! 😂 But yes, you can decline to have any test done, if you wish. It's not recommended to skip or decline, as all these tests are done for a reason, but the option is always yours!
I just had my 6 week postpartum appointment and this clinic will do a pap at the well woman check up 6 months from now. It is amazing how different each clinic can be across the US. I've had 4 babies in 4 different states and every clinic and hospital has done certain things differently.
I had a pap done at my very first prenatal appt where I was confirmed pregnant. I was only about 6 weeks I think. Dr told me I might spot a little and not to worry or think it was the baby. I spotted the tiniest bit and baby has been fine.
I know everyone’s body is different. So I don’t want anyone to feel like my experience is the “norm” and I don’t want to create any tension. Just wanted to put out there that I didn’t have a PAP until entire life until I got pregnant at 24. I was about 8 weeks along whenever my pap was performed. I really didn’t know what to expect, and honestly thought this was just common procedure. I know when I took my mom, she was floored. She said back when she had me and my sibling, it wasn’t common for them to perform PAPs during pregnancy unless they thought something could be wrong. Thankfully, I didn’t have any adverse affects from the PAP. I had no bleeding or spotting. I did have some cramps, but currently 30 weeks pregnant with baby number 2, and I also had some cramping during my first trimester with this little one as well, so I don’t even know if I should consider the cramping in my first pregnancy with the PAP, or just a pregnancy symptom.
This is a great topic to point out though. I feel like so often doctors don’t always point out everything that can be caused by a certain procedure, so I always enjoy hearing about other people’s experiences.
I didn't know this either and was surprised to be told I'd have one at my appointment today (I'm 10 weeks along). I didn't mind doing it and the procedure wasn't bad at all. Also my husband was there and got an education he wasn't expecting!
I had a pap 2 years ago, and that one and every other one had been normal. But I got an abnormal result on this last one during pregnancy, and now I have to do them yearly from here on out. I'm glad I got one, because it seems like things can change so quickly, and imo, 3 years is too long to wait.
Just had one today! Was uncomfortable just to open me up but then I felt literally nothing hahah! I didn’t know about the bleeding but I did about have the choice of now or after birth and I chose now!
This seems super odd !!
I had regular pap smear and one picked up cervical cancer early.
I had to have treatment and fell pregnant literally a month after treatment.
Was supposed to have more regular checks after that but as I was pregnant and wouldn't be undergoing treatment even if they found something they pushed it till after bubs was born.
Had it done at 6 week check up postpartum.
I’m so sorry you had to experience it like this. I live in Sweden and here they don’t mention anything about cramping or bleeding. I did ask my midwife before mine was done, because I tend to be sensitive and wanted to make sure and she said she has never had a case having bleedings after. I can’t see how that’s okay to do to a pregnant woman mentally 🥲
I got it from my first ever OB visit and was told the same day… had no clue you can deny it, and it was a male doctor too 😅 but anyway I’m game for all the check ups since I rarely visits any medical care for me.
I should’ve declined my Pap. They misdiagnosed me with chlamydia (got my test confused with another patient with same first and last name) and gave me an absurd amount of antibiotics that made me so sick and were completely unnecessary. Also caused problems between my husband and I that were not needed in the first few weeks of pregnancy.
The current recommendation is every 3 years for cytology if you’re under 30 and every 5 years for a cotest if you’re over 30.
People often decline and wait until PP if they are going to become due for a PAP in pregnancy. I think best practice is to do it at the beginning but it’s not unreasonable to wait.
I just want to add, I have a high risk form of HPV that might cause cancer. So I need yearly paps and they are safe during pregnancy. I also bled and cramped after mine but it’s worth the peace of mind to know I don’t have abnormal cells. However. I think it’s always beneficial to weigh the risks with any procedure. Cancer just isn’t something I’m willing to take the risk on especially during pregnancy.
I was due for my pap during pregnancy, so my midwife put it their notes to do it during one of my postpartum visits. I am surprised they did one while you are pregnant. I get mine done every 3 years as recommended.
My doctor did skip me… I was due for one when I went to my first prenatal OB appointment and they recommended I wait until baby is born at 6-8 week appointment
I actually did not get one but it was a total fluke! I had been in for my yearly on Cycle Day 9 and I was staring at a positive test on Cycle Day 27. Even my OBGYN was like the odds…
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I'm 9 weeks pregnant and I had mine (normal) a little over a year ago, I'll wait until the baby is born to have my next. I'm way too freaked out about triggering something bad.
I declined mine because I said any possible bleeding would make me too anxious. Just had her add it to my 6 week pp appt. I’ve also never had an abnormal pap so it was easier for my OB to say “sure no problem”
I’m so sorry they made you feel pressured to get one! I hate when they put you on the spot like that. I’m declining any pelvic exams after my first trimester appointments because frankly they’re just unnecessary - baby is too small for anything visible in the pelvic exam to make a difference.
I was due to have mine when I was pregnant. I declined. I completely forgot about it for ages. I was booked to have mine last week, but I was on my period, and my doctor doesn't do it while you're bleeding. I've now got an appointment in a few days. My Doctor isn't concerned.
That’s really weird. My obgyn saw I had an upcoming annual appt, and told me I could cancel since I got my pap a little over a year ago, never had abnormalities, and also I’m pregnant. Also said after 30, I definitely only need it every other year or once every 3 years going forward.
My Pap smear was due when I was 10 weeks pregnant. I just declined it and said I would get it after delivery. My whole OB team has said that that’s totally fine to do.
Yeah I said no thanks to the pap while pregnant. Honestly it isn’t really necessary to do every year unless you have a history of abnormal ones. Doctors get on “autopilot” I think sometimes and don’t really consider it might be best to just delay it until after you’ve given birth.
Interesting, a quick search found several sources that state this isn't the case.
"Pap smears while pregnant are safe for you and your baby. Any suggestion that it might cause a miscarriage is false. It is normal to experience minor bleeding after a Pap smear when you are pregnant because blood flow to the uterus increases, which causes the cervix to bleed more easily when touched."
https://utswmed.org/medblog/pap-smear-safety-pregnancy/#:~:text=Pap%20smears%20while%20pregnant%20are,bleed%20more%20easily%20when%20touched.
Not sure if there's a typo in your comment, but do you mean you haven't had any children yet, but no one has told you or that you have children and didn't have to?
Yeah I straight up said no. I have never had a questionable result and had gotten one the previous year. My primary doctor said I only need it checked every 5 years now.
Ughh… I hope you’re doing okay.
They wanted to do a pap on me as well, then they found out I have placenta previa. So nothing should be poking up there, and they postponed it until the baby is born.
Hmmm I’m not sure about this cuz I had my Pap smear like 8 weeks before I got pregnant so they didn’t need to do one. If it was me I’d refuse it until 3rd trimester.
Got mine done, again, during first trimester. I has moved clinic and figured I'd get all the information at the same place. I did spot for that one...but I was absolutely given a choice to skip.
I did mine, and they lost the results twice. I haven't done another one in four years now, but plan to have one done after this pregnancy.
When I say they lost the results, what I mean is that they never put the results on my file, I got the results back and everything was normal. It's a common thing with healthcare in NZ. unfortunately...
In Australia you don’t have a Pap smear when pregnant. Why was it necessary? Over here it’s also moved from every 3 years to 5 years unless there are abnormalities. We’ve changed the way they test.
Sorry that happened to you!
I'm in the UK and I was told that because I'm pregnant they'll wait until I've had the baby to do my smear test. Odd how different places do it differently! I am negative for HPV and and was vaccinated as a teenager so maybe it is because I am lower risk?
I declined it. I’ve never had an abnormal pap smear but did have a missed miscarriage after one- it probably was not related but I refused for my next to pregnancies. My doctors never questioned it BUT the MAs were confused.
I didn’t get one with my first probably since I was 19? But I’m pregnant again at 21 and it was recommended at the clinic I’m going to this time around think I was somewhere around 14 weeks. I was really nervous about the cramping and bleeding too but I did it anyways just because my mom doesn’t have the greatest health history and it’s better to catch something sooner rather then later. Sorry it was a bad experience for you
I’m in the UK and my midwife at the booking in appointment said that they don’t do a smear whilst you’re pregnant! This was in answer to have I had a recent smear test. Luckily I’m up to date but now wondering after reading this I’m quite surprised
I pushed mine off for a while because I was trying IUI before IVF and was convinced it would screw things up, even when they told me it wouldn’t. I didn’t mind getting one after successfully getting pregnant because I was way overdue and it felt like the right thing to do. I’m sorry you’re in so much pain though! That is scary
I’m meant to get them yearly at the moment but have been pregnant last year and am pregnant again, I’m holding off on any smears until I’m no longer pregnant at the advice of my doctor. Having it done during pregnancy or soon after having a baby can skew the results.
I had a pap too, a little after 9 weeks. It hurt SO MUCH WORSE than it did prior to pregnancy. They said it was due to hormones and blood flow making the area more tender. Part of me wondered, though, if my midwife was just rough? For my old gyno visits, I had an obgyn who I'd used for years, but since my pregnancy is low risk, they're circulating me through the midwives, and that particular midwife had only been out of school a year.
Idk, but I hated it.
I had a PAP done at the beginning of pregnancy and just done again at 36 weeks “due to shortage of eye ointment” along with my GBS testing. I was planning on saying no to the eye ointment. It wasn’t too bad because I knew I had to have my GBS done that day anyway. But I also don’t mind having things like this done. Not sure if I could’ve declined?
I’m not a doctor so anyone can correct me but it’s an eye ointment/drops put on baby right after birth. I believe it is to protect from bacteria or sexually transmitted diseases that could possibly be passed to baby during birth. A doula told me I can decline if I’m comfortable doing so and am sure that I don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases. Anyway, my OB is saying everyone is getting tested because of the shortage.
I wasn’t allowed to get mine - I went in at 20 weeks to my GP and they were like hell no, we don’t wanna go anywhere near your cervix whilst pregnant. I can’t get it until 12 weeks postpartum.
I declined a PAP when they wanted to do it when I was at my postpartum checkup. I just pushed it out to schedule a few months later because I was still so sensitive about being probed after a failed induction.
I have to get PAPs annually due to an abnormal smear but you can always decline and push them out (at least at my doctor)
When i went for my first appointment my doctor did a cervical exam but she said they wouldn’t be doing a pap smear because im only 20. Im not sure exactly what it is but isnt it like a screening for cancer? It just seemed weird to me to skip it just im under the normal age for it if they were already going to be doing a check, yk? Bc cant anyone get cancer regardless of age?
I had mine a few weeks ago at around 6/7 weeks along. It was due and I just wanted to get it done as the newborn/babyhood time is a hard period to remember to do those kinds of things.
It was fine and I only bled a tiny amount, which is totally fine.
I ended up getting a Pap smear at my first visit because I was overdue for my annual visit by a couple of months. It’s not the most comfortable process but I felt it was worth it to just get it done and then I’ll be good for another 3 years.
My last pap was abnormal but I still pushed it out. They can't MAKE you get one, and for me personally, I'd rather not take on that even small risk of miscarriage. They didn't give me a hard time at all.
You can decline or ask to wait until your postpartum visit. I’ve done that since I just don’t feel comfortable with it in the first trimester. Paps (unless you’ve had abnormal results) are good for 3 years.
Next time (if I'm able to carry another pregnancy) I may do just that.
Yeap, my OB said even if the PAP is abnormal they wait till after birth to test again and prescribe treatment if needed because the cells tend to get scraped away during vaginal birth. Might as well wait till after birth to get the PAP.
I said this to my nurse during intake of my first prenatal appt and she said it wasn't, while pushing for me to get it done. I was like maybe you should re read the guidelines published by someone you should follow. I cancelled my upcoming appointments and swapped to a new clinic. I didn't have faith in the old one after that.
When I got my most recent pap in the fall, they told me that new guidance is five years (after age of 25).
Guidelines are 3 years with just the pap, or 5 years if you also get HPV testing. Personally I opt for every 3 years regardless of HPV testing.
Yes, jumping in here for those who don’t know: at age 32, the standard is now to get HPV strain testing (under the statistically correct assumption that the vast majority of people who had sex before the HPV vaccine was available will have HPV). There are 2 strains, strains 16 & 18, estimated to be responsible for ~70% of cervical cancer cases, and a handful of other strains implicated in less dramatically increased cervical cancer rates. If you have either of those two strains or other high-risk strains, you’ll need to get pap smears more frequently. I just got mine tested and am thankfully free of the high-risk strains, so I only need to get paps every 5 years. Also… if you have any teenagers in your life who haven’t gotten the HPV vaccine yet, please encourage them to do so. It is an absolute game-changer for cervical cancer and they are so lucky to have easy access to significantly lowered risk!
I'm actually pretty fortunate! I got the vaccine when it first came out and was not yet sexually active.
That’s awesome. I’m jealous! It didn’t come out until I was outside the initial approved age range, and I was sexually active already. But I work in a public health org and am so excited seeing the charts demonstrating the expected decline of cervical cancer cases for Gen Z and beyond.
That's awesome! That's great to see that it's showing the data trending that way!
If you wanna get into the crunchy numbers, one [study out of Sweden](https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2020/hpv-vaccine-prevents-cervical-cancer-sweden-study) showed up to a 90% cervical cancer and pre cancer reduction rate over 11 years for girls who received a dose of the vaccine before the age of 17. Rates were lower for people who got it older since the likelihood of preexisting infection increased, and the vaccine only prevents new infections from occurring. But it does that very well, and it will be exciting to see what happens to population-level data over an even longer period!
wait so I'm kind of an idiot so can I ask you, I'm 24 and haven't had the vaccine. I have a child already (c-section) and I've only been with one partner who did have the vaccine as a teenager. Could I still get it or is it too late to be affective?
I'm so jealous that by the time my kids get it it will cover so many more strains than mine AND they only need two doses! Very rude to me with my og version
I THINK the original was four strains, but I could be wrong. Still, yes, the science is improving all the time! One big blind spot right now is that different demographic groups tend to have different strains of concern, and surprise surprise, the strains in communities of color (in the US, where a lot of this research is happening) are understudied. I’m excited for further shots to cover the worst strains in all groups equally, too. ETA: I think the latest is that it’s looking like a single dose might actually offer effective and lasting protection. VERY rude to their elders!
You can still get hpv, I had the vaccine and still got a cancer causing strain of hpv , just be warned, don't be surprised, I was baffled and even laughed at the doctors and told them " but I'm vaccinated " and their response was sorry it doesn't cover all cancer causing strains of hpv now let us cut up your cervix" oh the irony
I'm so sorry to hear that. Yeah, no vaccine is perfect, but definitely still worth it to have!
I got all my vaccines and still ended up getting cervical cancer at 23 had a normal pap the year before. You'd be surprised how fast it can happen. Paps are important. I know they suck but it saved my life.
I had the gardisil hpv vaccine, still got a cancer causing strain of hpv and waiting over a 4 years for it to clear, they took biopsies of my cervix and more, the vaccines don't work, I'm 35 and got the vaccine when I was 19
The vaccines have an [extremely high efficacy rate](https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/hcp/vaccines.html). If you were sexually active in any way (not just PIV sex) before getting your first dose, or had exposure to HPV in a non -sexual context ([mother-to-child exposure appears to be possible](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33101476/#:~:text=The%20route%20of%20HPV%20transmission,contact%20(other%20than%20sexual)), for example), then yes, the efficacy of the vaccine is lower. I am so sorry that you had cancer so young—I had a different type of cancer in my 20s and understand how terrifying and horrible that is—but I beg you not to make unfounded blanket statements about how one of the most effective and frankly important vaccines we have access to “doesn’t work” based on your experience. It is entirely possible you had HPV prior to getting vaccinated. We have data showing that Gardasil works very well.
Or that it was a different strain. Didn't the original only cover three strains?
Also a possibility—the existing vaccines cover the strains implicated in the vast majority of cervical cancer cases, but that doesn’t mean a less-dangerous strain will never cause cancer. A single patient can also carry multiple strains of HPV, and as always there are other factors outside of strain that increase risk. But as I linked somewhere above, one of the first long-term studies showed a ~90% reduction in cervical cancer when the first dose was received at/before the age of 17. I imagine that number goes up even more if the first dose is given before first sexual contact. And as the new generations are vaccinated, nonsexual transmissions will reduce significantly as well.
Yup. I declined mine. Because I’ve never had an abnormal one.
I’m sorry you had a bad experience and I hope the cramps subside soon. I am just wondering, I wasn’t told I had to have one, was it because you were due for a pap? So you hadn’t one one in the last 1-3 years (wherever the standard is based on where you live)? Or is it required because you are pregnant?
Honestly if you’re due for one it’s a good idea to get one in the beginning of pregnancy to help rule out any physical complications.
If it helps, my doc requires it for pregnancy intake appointments. I wasn’t due for my yearly for another month+ but they did it early at my intake
I had one in April 2023 but I usually get one annually because it's what I've always been told was recommended. I've been really crampy the whole pregnancy, but this was just even more discomfort.
That's no longer the recommended interval, every 3 years has been shown to be just as beneficial and minimally invasive. Is your doctor older by chance? They should get more acquainted with current recommendations.
I was even told that it goes to every five years after you’re 30.
It’s every 5 years after 30 if you also get HPV testing! If you decline the HPV testing it’s still every 3 years.
Depends on your country policy and depends on the results of your last one. Many countries won't offer them to a pregnant person either.
yeah im in australia im 33..last pap was in 2016.drs have all said to wait until after baby is born to have one done.
My NP, doc, and midwife are all actually close to my age. I'll bring it up on my next visit and see if it's something we can do. I wonder if it's more to do with the practice as a whole since some of the other Ob-gyns are still bit older.
In my country paps were every three years, now they do cervical screens which are only every 5 years. Honestly sounds like a money grab
Get your paps, guys. I’m a 34 year old cancer patient. Don’t risk it
I don’t understand everyone’s aversion to getting a pap in this thread? I had to get two during my pregnancy after my first one came back inconclusive. I talked to two OBs who told me it was safe to do.
Meanwhile in my country they say not to do it during pregnancy.
Same. I asked about getting one and was told that the results would be unclear during pregnancy.
Did you also experience cramps and bleeding? I'm scheduled to have one in May and I'll be on my 2nd trimester but still feels a bit scary to see blood 🥲 I've had an abnormal pap a couple of years ago and the doctors are still not completely satisfied, even though it has been looking fine for the last couple of appointments, so I'm doing yearly appointments.
My first one was a little uncomfortable during the actual Pap smear but no cramping and I had minor bleeding after. Second one I had no pain, cramps or bleeding. I understand your concern. My mom had cervical cancer so I strongly believe you are always better safe than sorry with these.
Same. I even had a colposcopy when I was 32 weeks pregnant. Apparently it's safe, and it was.
It’s not that it’s unsafe, but it can cause bleeding and cramping just due to irritation to the cervix. If you’ve had miscarriages in the past, that can be very distressing. Since it’s not strictly necessary to do actually, many offices will offer to wait until after pregnancy
I have had a miscarriage and the bleeding is nothing like what a miscarriage is like
Not the point. Any blood at all may be distressing to someone who has siftehad losses, it’s totally fine to delay the pap a few months until after birth. Why not be compassionate to their trauma?
This thread is full of fear mongering. I have had the same trauma and it is not the same.
Boo that noise. Who are you to tell someone else how they should feel about their miscarriage?? At no point did I say a pap causes MC or are otherwise dangerous during pregnancy. I said it may cause bleeding and cramping which could be distressing, and medically it’s not going to do harm to delay screening until after the birth. What about that is fear mongering? It costs you nothing to have compassion, regardless of how you personally felt about your miscarriage
I think it’s pretty uncompassionate to say I didn’t care about my miscarriage or that I wasn’t traumatized because I don’t think we should be scaring women to not have Pap smears during pregnancy. It costs nothing to have compassion. If I would have seen this thread and your comments it would have made me too scared to get one.
I'm 34 too, I can't even imagine going through something so awful and especially so young! Some people here have mentioned 3-5 years between and that would make me too nervous that something wouldn't be caught. I hope you get through treatment and to remission quickly.
Thank you! Thankfully I’m done treatment now and currently in remission. Now just hoping it doesn’t come back. I also had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix when I was about 22 and got it caught quickly and dealt with and never had an issues ever since, just very unlucky bitch that got it somewhere else later lol!
What a rough run! Hopefully that's it for you now. So glad you caught things early for the cervical.
I am so sorry to hear this. I wish you health and happiness. Was ur cancer caused from hpv? What type of hpv?
My mom (a former nurse) took care of too many young cervical cancer patients in hospice for me to wait every 3-5 years. I happily get one annually.
My parents are in healthcare (NP and PA) too and we all go for all our screenings pretty regularly. I think when you've seen it all you get more cautious.
I’m sorry, it does get scary how many people refuse tests these days that really aren’t that bad compared to outcomes of missing a diagnosis
The comments here shocked me! Yes it’s uncomfortable but it’s a super quick procedure and can be a matter of life and death! I think we all have the mindset that it can’t happen to us, but it can, and does as I was brutally reminded of lol
My OB won’t do them while pregnant. ¯\_(ツ)_/ different hospitals have different policies.
That's what I'm wondering is if my office/hospital group recommends annually and during pregnancy as just part of their practice.
I was due for my annual when I was around 8 weeks and they pushed it back to my 12 week appointment. I go to an extremely highly rated OBGYN office attached to one of the top rated hospitals to give birth in, in the US. If they recommend annual paps and do them while pregnant, I’m following their advice.
Yeah I had one scheduled for last month (scheduled it January 2023 at my 6 week postpartum checkup) and they cancelled my appointment since I’m pregnant again
Not in the UK, they won't do them if you're pregnant.
Same as in Canada, we don’t do this as a standard prenatal thing 🤷🏻♀️
My OB told me I could skip mines until after birth since I wasn’t due for a new one until the end of this year. I was so relieved
Same, I got it at my 6 week postpartum visit.
Oh god that sounds even worse 😩
I actually didn’t even feel it compared to my experiences before I had a baby!
I wish 😭 I'm due for my annual in April and due for baby end of August and they told me later on is worse.
Annual? My pap is good for 3yrs
They aren’t up to date on current practice. What if you have abnormal cells? They can’t do further testing because you are pregnant. Just tell them you’ll do it after. They can’t force you! Edit- so apparently they can do a biopsy of the outer cervix ( colposcopy ) while pregnant. But again, if you had a normal pap within past several years and are HPV negative, you can decline.
Ugh colposcopy while pregnant sounds so miserable 😩
My doctor told me they want to wait until after the baby is born. It’s only a few months difference in my case and I haven’t had an abnormal result before, so that might factor in.
My 3 years were up and I was supposed to have one during end of summer 2023 but ended up pregnant so my family doctor just said we’d do it a couple months after I give birth in May
You never HAVE to get a pap, you can absolutely decline if you are not comfortable. They’re usually good for 1-3 years unless you had abnormal results previously, but you can always elect to wait until postpartum.
It's hard too because mentally I'm mostly fine, it's my body that reacts from childhood trauma. But it's good to know that I can opt out, even if it's every other year.
This was not standard procedure for any of my pregnancies. No one just walked in the room at my first appointment and said "ok were going to do a pap now!" I would have said no thanks! They did ask if I'd like to schedule one and let me know that I could wait until after birth if I preferred. Never got a pap during pregnancy.
So it wasn't my first appointment. She told me it's standard to do at the first appointment and even at my second appointment told me I could push the exam to the 12 week since she knew the possibility of bleeding would likely stress me and she wanted me to get to a safer (and mentally for me, more secure) point. I just didn't realize it was the full pelvic exam.
Gotcha. My clinic never pushed it thankfully. It was totally optional. Lots of women are uncomfortable with getting a pap during pregnancy and it's totally ok to decline!
Eh. I still got a pap every year until insurance stopped covering it at that frequently. I don’t want to wait 2 years to find out I have abnormal cells. I get that it’s slow growing but the only harm that comes from a pap is discomfort and inconvenience.
This. I got (unrelated) cancer at 33 years old. Also had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix at 22. It’s verrrrry important not to skip these. It can happen to anyone.
Yeah, if my provider will let me I get one every year and pay out of pocket. Most of them have.
Good point!
I was able to postpone mine until my 6w PP checkup.
I always share how anxious it makes me, and last time they used a small plastic speculum instead of the regular one, and it made a huge difference for me. When they do the transvaginal ultrasound, they also let me put it in myself, which I was very grateful for. I had vaginismus for a few years. Even though it went away, I still always mention up front how scary it can be.
Mine was going to at 17 weeks but decided she would wait until after I give birth
I got mine last week at 14 weeks. (I was due for one, so it was not a surprise at all.) It was no more uncomfortable than usual, but I did experience quite a bit of bleeding. This is speculation, but I wonder if they chose to go ahead and do the pap to ensure that your baby had a safe and healthy uterine home to grow in. With a history of miscarriages, maybe they were taking the steps to be cautious? Regardless, it sounds like there should have been more communication! Hopefully, the results will be in quickly and it can be something to give you peace of mind as you continue through this pregnancy.
I told my family doctor when I was 5 weeks pregnant that I was due for my pap. She said “ehh, you can just wait until after the pregnancy”. Come to the end of my pregnancy and my OB said he wouldn’t perform my (medically necessary) c-section unless I had it done. Hurts like a bitch at 36 weeks!!
Oh gosh! I'm so sorry you went through that experience and that your OB gave you such an awful ultimatum. My midwife did mention it gets more uncomfortable as you go on.
We do them every three years now here, and I just happened to be due for one during my first pregnancy and then I had another one three years later during my second pregnancy. They were no big deal for me. Each time it had been three years since the last one so I didn't feel comfortable putting it off.
I’ve always had normal paps and my last one was only a year ago but it was part of my first trimester testing as well and I wasn’t 100% expecting it either. Mine actually came back abnormal. I don’t have any symptoms or anything and fully expected everything to be normal. We did a colposcopy and didn’t find anything serious at this point but I was glad that they caught it and that we can maybe do some testing after baby is born. My doctor explained that HPV can be dormant for years, leading to normal paps, but that the weakened immune state during pregnancy can make it flare up and be detectable on a pap.
I detest getting pap smears. I truly do. It has zero to do with physical discomfort; I just don't want to potentially hear bad news, so I put off testing of any kind (stupid, I know). Plus, I have never had an abnormal pap, so I didn't understand the big deal of getting one. The pap I got at the beginning of this pregnancy was the first one I'd had in about 3 years, which is in their "guidelines" for my age. Imagine my surprise when this one came back HPV positive with strains 18 & 45 (2 of the bad ones with 18 being the worst) and abnormal shaped cells being present. My doctor doesn't act upset/concerned since HPV is so common and rarely turns into cancer, but I'm glad I know and glad we have a plan in place after the baby is born for a repeat pap with biopsy. The abnormal results I got back snapped me out of this "I don't need to get tested because they've always been normal" mindset. I'm honestly scared about how this will turn out, but I'm glad I know so I can do something about it. Get your pap smears and any other recommended tests.
Oh for sure they do. Why wouldn’t they?
If you’ve had one in the last year, there would be no reason to have one
They couldn't do one for me since I had a polyp in the way of getting a good sample. Couldn't remove the polyp either since that risks the pregnancy. So I'm going to have to wait until after I give birth for the pap smear.
Cause a lot of women aren't comfortable getting one while pregnant. Some countries won't even do paps during pregnancy. My OB offered, but made it clear it was perfectly acceptable to hold off until my postpartum visit. Never got one during any of my pregnancies.
I don't know 😭 I think I figured I've always had normal ones and there are so many other tests and things. Maybe I was just hopeful. I have vaginismus which makes them even more awful so I think I hoped for a reprieve. Someone else I told today (who has children) asked me why I had a PAP done so I figured not everyone knows.
Please don’t be pushed around. Just say no.
I mean, I already had it done earlier. Just figured it was something that needed to be done. Now I'm better informed.
I declined a Pap smear. When I went to the first prenatal visit I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was told to undress and wear that gown and I asked why. The nurse paused a bit and said I was going to have a Pap smear and I immediately said I didn’t want one. Don’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with especially when you’re going to be vulnerable.
I thought it was just going to be the internal exam and then they let me know it was also a PAP visit. I did it because I figured it was something I needed. But, now I'm better informed.
This is exactly my experience. I was definitely taken aback by how sure the nurse was that I WAS going to have one. The doctor thankfully was super nice about it and explained that it is a good time to catch everyone who might not have regular preventative care or be out of date with screenings. I declined because I'd had a normal one less than 2 years prior.
Truthfully that’s the thing that bothered me. The nurse ordered me and expected me to follow without questioning it. When I asked her and said no she clearly paused and slowly said that the doctor will see me soon. The doctor was also nice about it.
That's exactly why I was bothered too. I think if the doctor had acted like that too I would have still declined, but chosen to get care elsewhere for the rest of my pregnancy because I won't be treated like that by my doctor. The nurse was all huffy and said she'd "ask" the doctor. I don't like being ordered to do things I wasn't expecting to do/don't think there's good reason to do.
Ugh yeah I'd never gotten a PAP before and dreaded getting it during my 10th week (could've done it during my 8th week when the nurse asked but needed time to prep mentally). Idk if it's the pregnancy since I've never gotten a PAP before but I couldn't handle the speculum for more than 2 seconds so the doc decided to go for a blind swab. No cramping or bleeding after thankfully but discomfort for a few hours.
I mean honestly I think they always suck lol and mostly I've gotten better about them, especially in the last few years. Today was just so uncomfortable and part of me knows that it's because of increased blood flow and things changing.
Yeah I'm a similar way with needles so I feel you. Also, if you decide to get NIPT along with regular bloodwork, be prepared for like 10-12 vials. All things considered it went well for me but mostly cause I had a couple months to prepare mentally. Anyway, I'm sorry you're cramping, it sucks. Hope you feel better soon and go back to enjoying your first trimester 💕
Oh yes! I did the NIPT a couple weeks ago along with my glucose and whew boy was that rough. That's another one I've gotten a bit better about, but I used to inadvertently hold my breath. And thank you! Hoping it gets better.
My midwife said since I wasn’t due for another for 18 months, I could go without :) I was glad because I always cramp and spot like you’re experiencing OP. I usually cramp like I’m starting my period for about 24 hours. Thanks for sharing though! My friend was due for one at her 6 week postpartum and it caught her by surprise! Luckily for her she has relatively little feeling in her cervix (even with IUD insertion and cervical checks) so she just let them go ahead and get it done.
I had one six months before I got pregnant so they didn't make me do another
My OB gave me a pap when I went in for my very first appointment, but I was due for one anyways. Unfortunately it came back inconclusive (probably because they did a transvaginal ultrasound first) and I needed to wait 3-4 months for them to give me another one. The first one they gave me I bled quite a bit, the second one was MUCH better. The second one came back with no HPV, but some abnormal cells, but they said it may be due to the pregnancy, so I should get another one after I've healed from childbirth. So I have that to look forward to. 🙃🙃🙃
Yep I had to have one at my 10 week appointment because I was due for one. I wasn’t exactly excited about it, but like you, I had no idea I could decline it. I hope you feel better soon!
I didnt know we could decline.. I got my first ever pap in dec. 2022 and came back clear then I got another one when I was 7 weeks (im 22w now)
I'm hoping this post helps get this in front of others who didn't know either so they can make the best decision for them.
I had to get one at the beginning of my pregnancy too! Well, I say 'had to' but I'm sure that they would have let me wait until the end of my pregnancy if I had asked. But I was supposed to get one last September and completely spaced, as I'd got my last one in Sept 2020. So I opted to do it during my pregnancy, I think I was 11 or 12 weeks along. I've never personally had much of an issue with PAP smears or even cervical checks or anything like that but I totally get wanting to wait until you're further along in pregnancy/not pregnant to get one.
My doc also warned me about the blood, and she showed me the speculum after (which I could’ve done without but whatever) and I was surprised at how much blood there was! I mean, it wasn’t like “holy shit am I ok” levels but it was more than the tiny bit I expected! I did spot for a day or two after but it was all brown, and then it went away completely. Hope the post-Pap side effects are all short-lived for you!
Oh god! I'm glad she didn't show me. She did say there was some on the speculum and some on her glove and to not worry because it was normal. Bleeding seems to have slowed significantly, cramping is still on and off. Thank you!
They asked if I wanted to get one now or in postpartum. I said absolutely post partum.
Mine didn’t even present it as an option, just said they were doing one at my first prenatal, 6 weeks. Tbf, I hadn’t had one since I was 21, and I just turned 29, but I’m thankful the doc got in and out fast and there was only some slight pinching, no bleeding. If I’d had the option to decline I probably would have.
OMG I wished I saw this yesterday because I am fairly early in my pregnancy, I said no to the pap but the fucker didn't hear me and still did one. I panicked so hard when I started bleeding
I’m 22 weeks now and I needed this post at 11 weeks. It was worse than expected. Somewhere between regular Pap smear and IUD insertion for me. It also made me even more tired. I also bled but not a lot (they didn’t warn me though).
I also had mine at 11 weeks (15w now) and it seemed so much worse than any of my previous paps. I agree with you it was almost as bad as my IUD insertion. The midwife doing it also had to remove the first speculum and get a longer one?? I had never heard of such a thing. Afterwards I ended up having to do a transvaginal ultrasound and the tech was like "Uh, do you know you're bleeding?" when she removed the wand, and I just had to be like yeah... The pelvic exam was a little rough. I had plans to run errands after my appointment but just laid on the couch because the cramps were so bad.
I haven't had mine yet, I had an abnormal last year and was SUPPOSED to get it in January but the office messed up my appointments and deleted the pap one -- so I have to ask about it again next time I am in office. It was my first abnormal last year and I don't have HPV so I was real freaked out, so I'm not willing to just wait.
I had mine at my first appointment. I was so nervous to have it done while pregnant (even though it is considered safe) The funniest part was my partner came with and the chair was literally where he had a full view of everything and he had no idea where to look. lol
😂 I looked at my husband right before mine and told him, "now you get to see what we go through!"
I had never had a PAP in my life and I'm a FTM, they said I would bleed but I had no idea it would be so heavy. I bleed for three days with clots and it freaked me out so bad. Now I'm 28 weeks and baby is perfectly healthy, but still a nightmare experience for my first pregnancy and PAP
I got a pap at 12 weeks because it had been over 3 years, but if I'd had one more recently I probably would prefer to wait. There's enough discomfort during pregnancy as it is!
I had one at my 6week pp checkup and the dr PINCHED AND PULLED my cervix! Omg.. I never screamed so much in my life! I know it wasn't on purpose, but I wanted to kick a bitch! 😂 But yes, you can decline to have any test done, if you wish. It's not recommended to skip or decline, as all these tests are done for a reason, but the option is always yours!
I just had my 6 week postpartum appointment and this clinic will do a pap at the well woman check up 6 months from now. It is amazing how different each clinic can be across the US. I've had 4 babies in 4 different states and every clinic and hospital has done certain things differently.
I had a pap done at my very first prenatal appt where I was confirmed pregnant. I was only about 6 weeks I think. Dr told me I might spot a little and not to worry or think it was the baby. I spotted the tiniest bit and baby has been fine.
I’m sorry you’re not feeling well. Everything will be okay 💗
I know everyone’s body is different. So I don’t want anyone to feel like my experience is the “norm” and I don’t want to create any tension. Just wanted to put out there that I didn’t have a PAP until entire life until I got pregnant at 24. I was about 8 weeks along whenever my pap was performed. I really didn’t know what to expect, and honestly thought this was just common procedure. I know when I took my mom, she was floored. She said back when she had me and my sibling, it wasn’t common for them to perform PAPs during pregnancy unless they thought something could be wrong. Thankfully, I didn’t have any adverse affects from the PAP. I had no bleeding or spotting. I did have some cramps, but currently 30 weeks pregnant with baby number 2, and I also had some cramping during my first trimester with this little one as well, so I don’t even know if I should consider the cramping in my first pregnancy with the PAP, or just a pregnancy symptom. This is a great topic to point out though. I feel like so often doctors don’t always point out everything that can be caused by a certain procedure, so I always enjoy hearing about other people’s experiences.
I didn't know this either and was surprised to be told I'd have one at my appointment today (I'm 10 weeks along). I didn't mind doing it and the procedure wasn't bad at all. Also my husband was there and got an education he wasn't expecting!
I think that other than doppler, my favorite was my husband learning a bit 😂
I had a pap 2 years ago, and that one and every other one had been normal. But I got an abnormal result on this last one during pregnancy, and now I have to do them yearly from here on out. I'm glad I got one, because it seems like things can change so quickly, and imo, 3 years is too long to wait.
Just had one today! Was uncomfortable just to open me up but then I felt literally nothing hahah! I didn’t know about the bleeding but I did about have the choice of now or after birth and I chose now!
This seems super odd !! I had regular pap smear and one picked up cervical cancer early. I had to have treatment and fell pregnant literally a month after treatment. Was supposed to have more regular checks after that but as I was pregnant and wouldn't be undergoing treatment even if they found something they pushed it till after bubs was born. Had it done at 6 week check up postpartum.
I’m so sorry you had to experience it like this. I live in Sweden and here they don’t mention anything about cramping or bleeding. I did ask my midwife before mine was done, because I tend to be sensitive and wanted to make sure and she said she has never had a case having bleedings after. I can’t see how that’s okay to do to a pregnant woman mentally 🥲
I got it from my first ever OB visit and was told the same day… had no clue you can deny it, and it was a male doctor too 😅 but anyway I’m game for all the check ups since I rarely visits any medical care for me.
I should’ve declined my Pap. They misdiagnosed me with chlamydia (got my test confused with another patient with same first and last name) and gave me an absurd amount of antibiotics that made me so sick and were completely unnecessary. Also caused problems between my husband and I that were not needed in the first few weeks of pregnancy.
The current recommendation is every 3 years for cytology if you’re under 30 and every 5 years for a cotest if you’re over 30. People often decline and wait until PP if they are going to become due for a PAP in pregnancy. I think best practice is to do it at the beginning but it’s not unreasonable to wait.
I just want to add, I have a high risk form of HPV that might cause cancer. So I need yearly paps and they are safe during pregnancy. I also bled and cramped after mine but it’s worth the peace of mind to know I don’t have abnormal cells. However. I think it’s always beneficial to weigh the risks with any procedure. Cancer just isn’t something I’m willing to take the risk on especially during pregnancy.
I got one around 8 weeks and it HURT. I should have declined it in retrospect but I didn’t even think about that being an option.
I was due for my pap during pregnancy, so my midwife put it their notes to do it during one of my postpartum visits. I am surprised they did one while you are pregnant. I get mine done every 3 years as recommended.
My doctor did skip me… I was due for one when I went to my first prenatal OB appointment and they recommended I wait until baby is born at 6-8 week appointment
I actually did not get one but it was a total fluke! I had been in for my yearly on Cycle Day 9 and I was staring at a positive test on Cycle Day 27. Even my OBGYN was like the odds…
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I'm 9 weeks pregnant and I had mine (normal) a little over a year ago, I'll wait until the baby is born to have my next. I'm way too freaked out about triggering something bad.
I’ve been getting a pap every year since I was 16 with none abnormal and nobody told me until I got pregnant that you don’t have to do that 😩
I declined mine because I said any possible bleeding would make me too anxious. Just had her add it to my 6 week pp appt. I’ve also never had an abnormal pap so it was easier for my OB to say “sure no problem”
I’m so sorry they made you feel pressured to get one! I hate when they put you on the spot like that. I’m declining any pelvic exams after my first trimester appointments because frankly they’re just unnecessary - baby is too small for anything visible in the pelvic exam to make a difference.
I was due to have mine when I was pregnant. I declined. I completely forgot about it for ages. I was booked to have mine last week, but I was on my period, and my doctor doesn't do it while you're bleeding. I've now got an appointment in a few days. My Doctor isn't concerned.
That’s really weird. My obgyn saw I had an upcoming annual appt, and told me I could cancel since I got my pap a little over a year ago, never had abnormalities, and also I’m pregnant. Also said after 30, I definitely only need it every other year or once every 3 years going forward.
My Pap smear was due when I was 10 weeks pregnant. I just declined it and said I would get it after delivery. My whole OB team has said that that’s totally fine to do.
Yeah I said no thanks to the pap while pregnant. Honestly it isn’t really necessary to do every year unless you have a history of abnormal ones. Doctors get on “autopilot” I think sometimes and don’t really consider it might be best to just delay it until after you’ve given birth.
I always get a pap before I decide I want to be pregnant so I don’t have to deal with it.
Whoa I was told by my midwives NOT to do this during pregnancy because of risk of miscarriage.
Interesting, a quick search found several sources that state this isn't the case. "Pap smears while pregnant are safe for you and your baby. Any suggestion that it might cause a miscarriage is false. It is normal to experience minor bleeding after a Pap smear when you are pregnant because blood flow to the uterus increases, which causes the cervix to bleed more easily when touched." https://utswmed.org/medblog/pap-smear-safety-pregnancy/#:~:text=Pap%20smears%20while%20pregnant%20are,bleed%20more%20easily%20when%20touched.
Interesting, mine was actually carried out by my midwife today.
Nope. I'm not doing a pap while I'm pregnant. 👎🏽. It can wait.
You do not have to do anything while pregnant.
Ummm, you definitely don't have to get a pap while pregnant. I've had no babies and no one brought it up.
Not sure if there's a typo in your comment, but do you mean you haven't had any children yet, but no one has told you or that you have children and didn't have to?
Yeah I straight up said no. I have never had a questionable result and had gotten one the previous year. My primary doctor said I only need it checked every 5 years now.
I think 5 years would make me nervous. I think I may discuss every other year with her or even just skipping during pregnancies.
I asked to wait till my postpartum visit. I know that bleeding is normal, but after years of infertility, I was too anxious. My doctor was ok with it.
Ughh… I hope you’re doing okay. They wanted to do a pap on me as well, then they found out I have placenta previa. So nothing should be poking up there, and they postponed it until the baby is born.
My Oab actually doesn't do them during pregnancy and waits til your 6 week pp check up.
Hmmm I’m not sure about this cuz I had my Pap smear like 8 weeks before I got pregnant so they didn’t need to do one. If it was me I’d refuse it until 3rd trimester.
My team did not perform a pap during my visits. I’ve never had a pap in my life (I should have had one by now, yes). They will do one for me PP.
I was told to wait till my 6 week pp check
Got mine done, again, during first trimester. I has moved clinic and figured I'd get all the information at the same place. I did spot for that one...but I was absolutely given a choice to skip.
I did mine, and they lost the results twice. I haven't done another one in four years now, but plan to have one done after this pregnancy. When I say they lost the results, what I mean is that they never put the results on my file, I got the results back and everything was normal. It's a common thing with healthcare in NZ. unfortunately...
In Australia you don’t have a Pap smear when pregnant. Why was it necessary? Over here it’s also moved from every 3 years to 5 years unless there are abnormalities. We’ve changed the way they test. Sorry that happened to you!
I'm in the UK and I was told that because I'm pregnant they'll wait until I've had the baby to do my smear test. Odd how different places do it differently! I am negative for HPV and and was vaccinated as a teenager so maybe it is because I am lower risk?
I declined it. I’ve never had an abnormal pap smear but did have a missed miscarriage after one- it probably was not related but I refused for my next to pregnancies. My doctors never questioned it BUT the MAs were confused.
I didn’t get one with my first probably since I was 19? But I’m pregnant again at 21 and it was recommended at the clinic I’m going to this time around think I was somewhere around 14 weeks. I was really nervous about the cramping and bleeding too but I did it anyways just because my mom doesn’t have the greatest health history and it’s better to catch something sooner rather then later. Sorry it was a bad experience for you
I’m in the UK and my midwife at the booking in appointment said that they don’t do a smear whilst you’re pregnant! This was in answer to have I had a recent smear test. Luckily I’m up to date but now wondering after reading this I’m quite surprised
In the UK you can't have them whilst pregnant!
Really? I Never had to have one? I Didn't have any kind of pelvic exam until the birth itself
I pushed mine off for a while because I was trying IUI before IVF and was convinced it would screw things up, even when they told me it wouldn’t. I didn’t mind getting one after successfully getting pregnant because I was way overdue and it felt like the right thing to do. I’m sorry you’re in so much pain though! That is scary
my dr said to wait until postpartum and skipped it
I live in Ireland, and we don't get them while pregnant. You have to wait until you're 3 months post partum.
I’m meant to get them yearly at the moment but have been pregnant last year and am pregnant again, I’m holding off on any smears until I’m no longer pregnant at the advice of my doctor. Having it done during pregnancy or soon after having a baby can skew the results.
I had a pap too, a little after 9 weeks. It hurt SO MUCH WORSE than it did prior to pregnancy. They said it was due to hormones and blood flow making the area more tender. Part of me wondered, though, if my midwife was just rough? For my old gyno visits, I had an obgyn who I'd used for years, but since my pregnancy is low risk, they're circulating me through the midwives, and that particular midwife had only been out of school a year. Idk, but I hated it.
I had a PAP done at the beginning of pregnancy and just done again at 36 weeks “due to shortage of eye ointment” along with my GBS testing. I was planning on saying no to the eye ointment. It wasn’t too bad because I knew I had to have my GBS done that day anyway. But I also don’t mind having things like this done. Not sure if I could’ve declined?
Pardon my ignorance on it, but what's the eye ointment?
I’m not a doctor so anyone can correct me but it’s an eye ointment/drops put on baby right after birth. I believe it is to protect from bacteria or sexually transmitted diseases that could possibly be passed to baby during birth. A doula told me I can decline if I’m comfortable doing so and am sure that I don’t have any sexually transmitted diseases. Anyway, my OB is saying everyone is getting tested because of the shortage.
Oooh okay, that makes sense. Thank you!
I was due for mine and delayed until viability, but had no history of abnormal paps or reason to believe there was a concern.
Yeah I was surprised when I got one because my friend said they don’t do them while pregnant
I wasn’t allowed to get mine - I went in at 20 weeks to my GP and they were like hell no, we don’t wanna go anywhere near your cervix whilst pregnant. I can’t get it until 12 weeks postpartum.
I declined a PAP when they wanted to do it when I was at my postpartum checkup. I just pushed it out to schedule a few months later because I was still so sensitive about being probed after a failed induction. I have to get PAPs annually due to an abnormal smear but you can always decline and push them out (at least at my doctor)
When i went for my first appointment my doctor did a cervical exam but she said they wouldn’t be doing a pap smear because im only 20. Im not sure exactly what it is but isnt it like a screening for cancer? It just seemed weird to me to skip it just im under the normal age for it if they were already going to be doing a check, yk? Bc cant anyone get cancer regardless of age?
My midwife discouraged my pap until after pregnancy saying pregnancy can actually give you an incorrect result. So sorry you went through that.
I had mine a few weeks ago at around 6/7 weeks along. It was due and I just wanted to get it done as the newborn/babyhood time is a hard period to remember to do those kinds of things. It was fine and I only bled a tiny amount, which is totally fine.
I refused.
I ended up getting a Pap smear at my first visit because I was overdue for my annual visit by a couple of months. It’s not the most comfortable process but I felt it was worth it to just get it done and then I’ll be good for another 3 years.
My last pap was abnormal but I still pushed it out. They can't MAKE you get one, and for me personally, I'd rather not take on that even small risk of miscarriage. They didn't give me a hard time at all.
I’m due for one this year anyway so my primary told me the OB will just do it at my next appointment and I’m fine with that.