Pap Smear

Often on your first prenatal visit, you will have a Pap smear, if it has been a year or more since your last test. If you have had a normal Pap smear in the last few months, you won't need another one.
A Pap smear is done to look for abnormal cells, called precancerous, dysplastic or cancerous cells, in the cervical area. The goal of a Pap smear is to discover problems early so they can be dealt with more easily. If you have an abnormal Pap smear, it usually identifies the presence of an infection, a precancerous condition or some other condition, such as hyperkeratosis.

Women who deliver vaginally may see a change in abnormal Pap smears. One study showed that 60% of a group of women who were diagnosed with high-grade squamous intra-epithelial lesions in the cervix before giving birth had normal Pap smears after their babies were born. Researchers believe that dilatation of the cervix during labor may slough off the precancerous cells or the baby may scrape them off as it moves down the birth canal.

If your Pap smear reveals any signs of an infection, it is treated immediately. If the first test reveals a precancerous condition, called dysplasia, the next step is usually a colposcopy.
In a colposcopy, a microscope is used to examine your cervix and to look for abnormal areas. If any are found, a sample of the tissue is removed, a procedure called a biopsy. Usually your doctor won't perform a biopsy until after your pregnancy. An abnormal Pap smear during pregnancy is a special situation and must be handled carefully.