Everything that happens at your first Pap smear

While most Americans are excited to turn 21 so they can (legally) purchase and drink alcohol, the birthday also brings another milestone for women – your first Pap smear.

After you’ve recovered from your massive hangover, be sure to call up your gynecologist to set up an appointment.

What exactly is a Pap smear and when do you need one?

According to The Office on Women’s Health, a Pap test – commonly referred to as a Pap smear – is done by collecting cell samples from your cervix and testing to see if they are cancerous or precancerous. Not only can a Pap smear help detect cancer in its early stages, it can help find abnormal cells your gynecologist can treat before they become cancerous. Since most cervical cancer is caused by HPV, you’ll be tested for that as well.

Regardless of your sexual activity, most gynecologists recommend that women have regular Pap smears starting at age 21. After your first one, if your results are regular, your healthcare provider will recommend one every three years. If you have a history of abnormal results, though, you might need one every year. Be sure to ask.

Preparation down there

Schedule your appointment on a day when you know you won’t be on your period. Although the test can still be performed, it’s best to do when you’re not bleeding.Don’t have sex, use a tampon, or douche for at least two days before your appointment.

While some girls may get a wax before every OBGYN appointment, I’m a broke college student with a low pain tolerance. I didn’t prepare for my Pap smear any differently than how I deal with down there normally.

My nurse practitioner said you shouldn’t do anything special just for your appointment, just whatever makes you the most comfortable. Whether you rock the full bush, go bare, or are somewhere in between, your gynecologist has seen it all and won’t care.

Dressing the part

It actually doesn’t matter what underwear you’re wearing or what outfit you choose, because you’ll soon get completely naked and change into a paper vest.

You’ll be asked all the questions

Before I was sent back to an exam room, I was given a questionnaire to fill out. While it did ask the more predictable questions about my sex life (am I sexually active, how many sexual partners have I had, do I need to be tested for STIs, etc.), it also asked about any recent stresses in my life, my diet and if I was being harmed physically, emotionally, or sexually in any of my relationships. Your doctor will also ask about your family history.

It starts out like any other doctor’s appointment

A nurse took me back to the exam room, asked me about what medications I’m on, checked my blood pressure and then weighed me. She then left me alone in the exam room to undress and change into the paper vest.

Once my nurse practitioner entered the room for my exam, she began by reviewing my questionnaire and then asking additional questions about my menstrual cycle (how often, severity of cramps, heavy or light flow) and sexual activity (what kind, how many partners, birth control methods). Even if you are not currently sexually activity or just on the pill to regulate or lighten your period, it’s important to explain your history to your gynecologist.

Your breasts are checked first

Before she even pulled out the stirrups for my feet, my nurse practitioner had me lie on my back with my hands behind my head in order to examine my breasts.

She said:”Normal healthy breast tissue is dense and irregular, so it can feel ropey or lumpy. All of that is normal.”

Although most doctors agree you should conduct self exams, how often and when you do it is up to you. The National Breast Cancer Foundation recommends you do one at least every month at the same point in your cycle since there are a multitude of hormone receptors in your breasts which cause changes throughout your cycle.

It wasn’t all that awkward

Getting felt up in a doctor’s office can tend to be a bit uncomfortable, but the key is to keep talking throughout the exam. You don’t even need to make small talk since your medical professional will either be looking at your boobs or your cervix.

As for me, I started talking about the same thing everyone is currently talking about: Pokemon Go. My gynecologist told me that last week another patient caught a Weedle on top of the speculum before her exam.

If you’re not afraid of small talk, ask questions. Even if you think you know the answer, asking questions will help you feel more comfortable with your gynecologist, and you might even learn something new.

Your gynecologist should explain everything

Even if you don’t ask any questions, your gynecologist should explain the process to you. Once the breast exam was complete, my nurse practitioner had me sit back up and explained how the Pap smear would work. First she showed me the speculum, the tool used to open your vagina so your gynecologist can see your cervix.

Next, she let me feel the two brushes used to collect the cell samples from the cervix. My gynecologist even let me touch them so I knew they weren’t too pokey or hard. They almost felt like eyebrow brushes.

Assume the position

Your gynecologist will have you sit at the very edge of the table with your knees bent, legs open and feet in the stirrups. In addition to the paper that already covers the bed, an additional soft paper layer will be placed under the lower half of your body.

It took three minutes max

The actual Pap smear was over very quickly. The speculum was in there for no longer than three minutes, and while I did feel pressure, it definitely wasn’t painful for me. Some women experience mild discomfort, but it shouldn’t be painful.

Once the speculum is in place and your cervix can be reached, your healthcare provider will use two small brushes to collect cell samples. Once the samples are taken, the speculum will removed and you will have survived your first Pap smear.

The plastic speculum wasn’t actually that cold, tbh

But the room was. I highly recommend you wear socks.

Your appointment is not over just because the Pap smear is

After my nurse practitioner took the speculum out, she then performed a bimanual exam where she used two fingers to check that my vagina was healthy and pressed on my lower stomach to check my ovaries.

If you’ve had any sort of sexual activity – not just penis in vagina – your gynecologist will recommend STI testing. To check for gonorrhea and chlamydia, either a cotton swab will be used to touch the inside of the vaginal wall for testing or you will provide a urine sample. HIV and hepatitis are detected through blood tests. As for herpes, most healthcare providers won’t test for it unless you’ve had an outbreak.

And now you wait

Once your exam is done, all that’s left to do is wait. The results of your Pap smear can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to come back from the lab, so be patient.

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