pap smear

[green plastic]

Does getting a pap smear hurt if you're a virgin?

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[NehsNairb]

from what i've heard from patients, they hurt regardless if you're a virgin or not

 

[Law2Doc]

Does getting a pap smear hurt if you're a virgin?

If you are attractive, I'm sure you needn't show up to the smear as a virgin - plenty of folks on SDN have come up with a cure for that malady.

 

[green plastic]

Yeah one patient I had to do a pap smear on was yelping in pain. I was scared that I was doing the procedure wrong.

 

[tigress]

A pap smear should not hurt (definitely not to the point of yelping!). It only hurts if the person doing it is rough or inexperienced. I guess it might hurt more for a virgin, but I don't know because I never had one until after I was married.

I'm sure plenty of women can chime in here. It's an important question, because you ought to know that it doesn't have to hurt. So if you're doing one and it is hurting the patient, try to figure out why. I've never had a painful pap. One time it was slightly uncomfortable, but even then not painful; the other times it was just nothing much at all. Of course, it might be different from person to person. But a pap does not HAVE to hurt.

 

[ShyRem]

And on the other end of the spectrum - EVERY SINGLE pap I've ever had done has been painful. Older docs, younger docs, women, men, doesn't matter - they've all hurt. Some more than others. My poor current ob/gyn feels terrible every time I get one - I'm the only patient he's had that has been this sensitive. However: I have had abdominal surgery and from what I hear the scarring is fairly significant. Perhaps that makes a difference?

 

[browniegirl86]

And on the other end of the spectrum - EVERY SINGLE pap I've ever had done has been painful. Older docs, younger docs, women, men, doesn't matter - they've all hurt.

Agreed. And it's a unique kind of pain. Ugh . . . I shudder at the thought.

 

[Ruban]

Does getting a pap smear hurt if you're a virgin?

<crude>
If you really want, come over to my place the night before your Pap, we'll bone, and then you'll be ok for your Pap. 😀
</crude>

 

[cheech10]

Why would you need a pap smear if you're a virgin? No sex => No HPV => No cervical dysplasia.

Sorry, I just realized, it's because as physicians we don't trust patients over 18 years old who say they are abstinent.

As for the pain, well a speculum is fairly large and if your hymen is intact, it will hurt somewhat (not that I know personally as a guy, but I'm assuming).

 

[geekOCD]

Not totally true, the general recommendation now is that all women should start getting paps at age 18 or earlier if sexually active b/c virgins can get cervical cancer too.

 

[cheech10]

The risk is exceedingly low in those who are not sexually active. Given the pain that can occur with the exam and sociocultural factors (eg. wanting to keep one's hymen intact, still a desirable thing on many cultures), I would not try too hard to convince a patient in this situation that a pap is necessary. Also, given the specificity and sensitivity of the test and the extremely low prevalence of cervical cancer in non-sexually active women, the vast majority of positive paps will be false positive in this population, so it's use in screening these women is questionable.

 

[FutureDrKt]

I have friends who have had pelvic exams / pap smears as virgins and they all said it was painful. For one of them, it hurt so badly that the OB/GYN just decided not to continue with the pap smear because she was young and not sexually active. If it were me however, I would grit my teeth and bear it- better safe than sorry.

 

[mojojojo]

Why would you need a pap smear if you're a virgin? No sex => No HPV => No cervical dysplasia.

You're right. And ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recently changed their recommendations to say that women who have never been sexually active do not need a pap smear until they are 21 (up from 18 years of age).

 

[generalIM]

You're right. And ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) recently changed their recommendations to say that women who have never been sexually active do not need a pap smear until they are 21 (up from 18 years of age).

This guideline stated although correct, does not make sense. If ACOG is arguing that the person is truly a virgin, then they do not need a Pap even at 21. As another poster said, no sex, no HPV, no cancer. Cervical cancer does not magically occur, you have to have had some kind of penetration in order have gotten it. So if you take a good sexual history and the person is being honest, then no need for the Pap even at 21.

Hopefully this will be a moot point once the new HPV vaccine gets approval. And lets hope this time, if we can irradicate it, the CDC is smart enough to destroy the cultures so it can truly be irradicated (like Small Pox was suppose to be).

 

[Hurricane]

Hopefully this will be a mute point once the new HPV vaccine gets approval. And lets hope this time, if we can irradicate it, the CDC is smart enough to destroy the cultures so it can truly be irradicated (like Small Pox was suppose to be).

I hope so too. However, there are already people against vaccination because "this is going to sabotage our absintence message." 🙄
Article: Debate rages on use of cervical cancer vaccine

And yes, a pap smear before you are sexually active is painful. But only for a few seconds. Not as bad as getting an IUD though. That hurt like a mofo.

 

[gschl1234]

Does getting a pap smear hurt if you're a virgin?

When I was in England my housemate had a long talk w/ a nurse who told her she didn't need a pap smear since she was a virgin and it would be very painful. We haven't covered human sexuality yet so I don't know much about pap smears except that you're looking for anaplastic cells (?) caused by HPV. You can't get HPV unless you're sexually active so why give a pap smear to a virgin anyway? What I'm asking is, are you looking for something other than HPV?

 

[Law2Doc]

Hopefully this will be a mute point

There was already a thread on this on SDN, so I thought I'd preempt another one -- the term you want is "moot point". Mute means unable to speak.

 

[emack]

Article: Debate rages on use of cervical cancer vaccine

I lol'd at this part: "A survey of 294 pediatricians [found that] 11 percent of the doctors said they thought vaccinating against a sexually transmitted disease "may encourage risky sexual behavior in my adolescent patients.""

I can just picture a 14-year-old girl, on the brink of losing her virginity via unprotected sex, thinking to herself: "Should I? Shouldn't I? Well, I am protected against cervical cancer, so why the hell not?!"

If this vaccine were marketed to parents as protecting their daughters against cancer (and annual pap smear testing for cancer), they'd be all over it.

 

[Rafa]

I lol'd at this part: "A survey of 294 pediatricians [found that] 11 percent of the doctors said they thought vaccinating against a sexually transmitted disease "may encourage risky sexual behavior in my adolescent patients.""

I can just picture a 14-year-old girl, on the brink of losing her virginity via unprotected sex, thinking to herself: "Should I? Shouldn't I? Well, I am protected against cervical cancer, so why the hell not?!"

If this vaccine were marketed to parents as protecting their daughters against cancer (and annual pap smear testing for cancer), they'd be all over it.

Honestly. This shouldn't be framed as an STD-prevention vaccine. Particularly when the STD results in cancer.

 

[t33sg1rl]

First of all, Paps are absolutely recommended for virgins because... well... what's a virgin exactly again? Many patients who consider themselves virgins may have given and received oral sex, or let their partner touch their genitoanal area in any fashion, and any of those activities with a non-virgin partner could certainly expose a woman to HPV. Research shows, too, that teenagers who've signed abstinence pledges are much more likely to have oral sex (I think the abstincence educators are too embarrased to spell out the SEX part of oral sex).

And for the nonvirgins,advice from my own doctor-She told me that the cervix is very sensitive from just before ovulation through the start of menstruation, so if you've had painful smears, schedule for 2-3 days after your period ends. If the speculum itself hurts, tell them to get a smaller one (they have small ones for virgins, but it makes it very awkward for the practitioner, so you might have to convince them that it's really necessary).

 

[ClearDay]

First of all, Paps are absolutely recommended for virgins because... well... what's a virgin exactly again? Many patients who consider themselves virgins may have given and received oral sex, or let their partner touch their genitoanal area in any fashion, and any of those activities with a non-virgin partner could certainly expose a woman to HPV. Research shows, too, that teenagers who've signed abstinence pledges are much more likely to have oral sex (I think the abstincence educators are too embarrased to spell out the SEX part of oral sex).

Not to disagree, but I just want to point out something.

Giving oral sex doesn't put someone at risk for cervical carcinoma (via HPV). Usually, cervical carcinoma arises from the transformation zone in one's cervix. That's because HPV preferencially attacks the epithelial in that area. Because this require direct exposure, HPV exposure through the mouth doesn't put one at a higher risk for cervical dysplasia/carcinoma. On the same token, people who participate in anal sex can have anal carcinoma due to HPV exposure. Again, this is because there is an area in the anus that is similar to the transformation zone in the cervix.

 

[OSUdoc08]

Does getting a pap smear hurt if you're a virgin?

My advice is to have sex before you go. Since the current recommended age for initiating pap smears is 21, it sounds like you're a little late in the game.

 

[generalIM]

First of all, Paps are absolutely recommended for virgins because... well... what's a virgin exactly again? Many patients who consider themselves virgins may have given and received oral sex, or let their partner touch their genitoanal area in any fashion, and any of those activities with a non-virgin partner could certainly expose a woman to HPV. Research shows, too, that teenagers who've signed abstinence pledges are much more likely to have oral sex (I think the abstincence educators are too embarrased to spell out the SEX part of oral sex).

And for the nonvirgins,advice from my own doctor-She told me that the cervix is very sensitive from just before ovulation through the start of menstruation, so if you've had painful smears, schedule for 2-3 days after your period ends. If the speculum itself hurts, tell them to get a smaller one (they have small ones for virgins, but it makes it very awkward for the practitioner, so you might have to convince them that it's really necessary).

This is true (and not to hijack this thread from its original purpose) but instead of arguing for the blanket statement that Paps on every woman doesn't this argue more for better provider-patient converstation. A sexual history should involve discussion into all sexual activity, but physcians (and other healthcare providers) are horrible at discussing these issues, no matter how important they are. It is scary to think that despite increasing knowledge we still have same number of new cases per year of HIV/AIDS as we did 15 years ago. We are definately dropping the ball on STDs and other sexual health topics.

And the abstinence pledge makes me laugh every time I hear it. Abstinence is the best policy is laughable, even more so is groups that preach it think that condoms cause people to go out and have sex. Just like one of the above posters pointed out about the vaccine for HPV. I wonder how upset these groups would get if (or when) we get and AIDS vaccine.

 

[azzarah]

Not totally true, the general recommendation now is that all women should start getting paps at age 18 or earlier if sexually active b/c virgins can get cervical cancer too.

From what I hear, the WHO recommendations say no need for pap until 40 if you're a virgin. I'm gonna wait until after I've lost my virginity.

 

[FLmed08]

I started having annual pelvic exams at age 14 because of dysmenorrhea & it was a little bit uncomfortable but not painful. If the exam is painful it is probably because the examiner is using improper technique, the patient is not relaxing her muscles, or there is a pathological process present.

 

[closertofine]

I have friends who have had pelvic exams / pap smears as virgins and they all said it was painful. For one of them, it hurt so badly that the OB/GYN just decided not to continue with the pap smear because she was young and not sexually active.

same story here... (unfortunately, this was before the new recommendations about when to get a pap smear came out)

 

[browniegirl86]

However, there are already people against vaccination because "this is going to sabotage our absintence message."

Seriously . . . I'm from Texas. The abstinence-only thing (which runs rampant here) just makes me ill.