What it means
A cervical cancer screening test named for George Papanicolaou, the Greek-American doctor who developed it. During a pelvic exam, a small brush or spatula collects cells from the cervix. A lab looks for abnormal cells that could turn into cancer, often years before cancer develops. In the United States, screening generally starts at 21; from 30 to 65 it may be done every 3 years alone or every 5 years together with an HPV test.
For the nurse
Teach the client to book it for a time she is not having her period, and to avoid douching, sex, tampons and vaginal creams for about 2 days before.
At a glance
| Spanish | prueba de Papanicolaou |
|---|---|
| Also written | Pap smear, Papanicolaou smear, Papanicolaou test, Pap smears, Pap tests |
Related terms
specimen
A sample of blood, urine, stool, tissue or other body material collected for testing.
prevention
Action taken to stop a disease, injury or problem from happening, or to keep it from getting worse.
cervical
Relating to the neck, or to the cervix, the lower end of the uterus.