Who Should Have a Pap Test and How Often

Up until the mid 1970s, cervical cancer was one of the most common causes of cancer death among women. Today, cervical cancer rates have been cut in half thanks to increased screening with the Pap and human papillomavirus (HPV) tests, and the future looks even brighter thanks to HPV vaccines.

The power of the Pap test when it comes to screening for cervical cancer is unquestionable and this simple screening tool should be a part of every women’s wellness regimen.

With that in mind, our experienced team at Yunella Women’s Health, which is led by board-certified OB/GYN and Los Angeles Top Doctor David Seil Kim, MD, PhD, wants to outline some great guidelines for Pap tests.

Cervical cancer and HPV

We first want to briefly explain what the Pap test is designed to identify. In short, the test looks for abnormal cell changes on your cervix, which is the connection point between your vagina and uterus.

The presence of abnormal cells typically indicates an HPV infection. There are more than 200 strains of HPV and about a dozen of these are considered high risk as they set the stage for certain cancers, including cervical cancer.

Through regular Pap tests, we can stay one step ahead of cell changes on your cervix. For example, if these abnormal cells turn the corner into precancerous cells, we can quickly remove them, which prevents cervical cancer in more than 95% of cases.

And the Pap test, as well as the HPV test (a test designed to detect HPV), are incredibly simple. All we need to do is swab your cervix to collect a sample of cells that we can analyze.

Screening guidelines for Pap and HPV tests

Now that we better understand the role of the Pap and HPV tests, let’s look at the recommended screening guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which advises the following:

Women under the age of 21

We typically don’t screen for cervical cancer in younger women, especially now that the HPV vaccine is more frequently used.

Women between the ages of 21 and 29

In this age group, we recommend a Pap test every three years.

Women between the ages of 30 and 64

For this age group, we recommend one of three screening schedules: 

• Pap test every three years
• HPV test every five years
• Pap and HPV test every five years

We’re happy to figure out which type of testing is best for your circumstances.

Women over the age of 65

Here’s where keeping up with your regular screening can really pay off. If you’ve screened regularly before the age of 65 and you’re not at risk for cervical cancer, we can suspend your screening.

If, however, you haven’t kept up with your Pap and HPV tests, we might recommend some initial and follow-up testing to be sure.

Bear in mind that these recommendations are for women of average risk for reproductive cancers and this screening schedule can change if you have a personal or family history of reproductive cancer or you have other risk factors.

To figure out a more personalized Pap test schedule that will help keep you protected from cervical cancer, please call our office in the Mid City West area of Los Angeles, California, at 424-404-8832. You can also schedule a visit online.