Pap Smear Testing and Guidance

Pap Smear

The Pap smear continues to be the leading test to detect cervical cancer. Since over 13,000 new cases of life-threatening cervical cancer are diagnosed in the United States in a given year, the highly skilled team at Lake OB-GYN Associates of Mid-Florida, LLC provides Pap smears for women in Leesburg, and Villages, in Florida. Book your Pap test online today or call to speak with a team member directly.

Leesburg Office Telephone

(352) 787-1535

Villages Office Telephone

(352) 259-5649

A Pap smear is a simple, minimally invasive test to evaluate your cervix, the area at the very top of your vagina. Pap tests detect early stages of cervical cancer (precancerous cells), so your doctor can get you treated right away if something is of concern.

While cervical cancer is one of the slowest developing forms of cancer, it’s also known to be a deadly type of cancer. By conservative estimates, cervical cancer accounts for as many as 4,250 deaths in the United States each year. In many cases, a routine Pap test could’ve saved many of these lives.

Getting a Pap smear is generally included as part of your routine well-woman exam. The providers at Lake OB-GYN Associates of Mid-Florida, LLC want to ensure you’re entirely comfortable during your visit, so they have a conversation with you about your Pap history and any women’s health concerns you might have.

After talking with your doctor, they have you undress from the waist down — you might need to slip into a gown if you’re also having a breast exam. You’re going to lie back on the exam table and place your feet in stirrups on either side of the table.

Your provider places a small tool into your vagina called a speculum, which holds your vaginal canal open for easy viewing. Once the speculum is in place, your doctor shines a light into your vagina and uses a specialized swab to gently scrape your cervix.

While not painful, a Pap test can lead to some pressure, which usually comes from the speculum. The entire process takes a minute or two.

The team at Lake OB-GYN Associates of Mid-Florida, LLC typically recommends getting a Pap smear every three years between the ages of 21 and 65. You can also choose to have a human papillomavirus (HPV) test performed at the same time — it’s just another quick swab.

Your practitioner at Lake OB-GYN Associates of Mid-Florida, LLC might recommend more frequent Pap smears if you have a personal history of abnormal Pap tests, a family history of cervical cancer, or a positive HPV test. In these cases, your doctor lets you know about how often you should be scheduling a Pap smear.

Book your Pap smear at Lake OB-GYN Associates of Mid-Florida, LLC through the website or by calling the office.

Request an Appointment

Have a question about our practice or want to schedule an appointment? Reach out and speak with a member of our team.

Leesburg Office: (352) 787-1535
Villages Office: (352) 259-5649