The Pap test is performed at your annual well-woman gynecological exam as part of the pelvic exam. It is performed to detect any changes in the cervix, any abnormal cell growth, any cancer cells or any STDs or infections. Human papilloma virus (HPV) testing is being used to evaluate and follow patients with early abnormalities in a Pap test.

The Pap test is performed by inserting a speculum into the vagina, collecting cells from the cervix, placing those cells on a glass side and sending them off to a lab for examination under the microscope or by placing the collected cells in a special solution. Most women should have a Pap test once a year, and this may lessen if they have had three normal Pap results in a row. After the age of 70 or after a hysterectomy, the Pap may be unnecessary.