&lt;h1&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Overview of Pap Smear &amp;amp; Cervical Cancer Screening&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h1&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Ladies, or any human with a vagina and/or cervix really, would frequently find ourselves being asked at the doctor&amp;rsquo;s, have you had a pap smear done recently? Are you sexually active? Have you been &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline; color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a style=&quot;color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;&quot; href=&quot;https://www.pulse-clinic.com.sg/hpv-vaccine&quot;&gt;vaccinated against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;? WHY? Why do all the doctors keep asking us such questions whenever we attend a health screening session or a sexual health consult session? Well, that&amp;rsquo;s because they all have one particular condition in mind when it comes to people with a vagina and/or cervix &amp;ndash; Cervical Cancer.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Cervical Cancer is One of the Most Common Cancers in Women&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in women which develops in the cervix, the entrance connecting the vagina to the uterus. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Even though it is still not too clear what actually causes cervical cancer, we can be sure that the &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline; color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a style=&quot;color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;&quot; href=&quot;https://www.pulse-clinic.com/hpv&quot;&gt;HPV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;/span&gt;is a contributing factor, in fact, most cervical cancer cases are related to being infected with the high-risk strains of the HPV, typically through sexual contact.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What You Need to Know about HPV Vaccination&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;And for your information, HPV can also &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline; color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;a style=&quot;color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;&quot; href=&quot;https://www.pulse-clinic.com.sg/genital-warts&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;cause warts&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, penile cancer, anal cancer, neck cancer, etc., &lt;a style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot; href=&quot;https://www.pulse-clinic.com.sg/hpv-vaccine&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;HPV&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;vaccination is for both men and women&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;This will help men who are potentially exposed to HPV to help reduce the risk of cervical cancer of their female partners. This will help men who are potentially exposed to HPV to help reduce the risk of cervical cancer are other HPV-related complications to their female partners and&amp;nbsp;vis-&amp;agrave;-vis.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p class=&quot;p1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;It is estimated that &lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;8 out of 10 people&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; will get HPV at some point in their lifetime.&amp;nbsp;HPV infection has no cure.&amp;nbsp;HPV vaccination is one of the best ways to help reduce the risk of HPV infection.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Pulse Clinic carries only 9-valent vaccine&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt; &amp;ndash; Protects against HPV type&amp;nbsp;6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;In Short, they help prevent men and women from:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;&lt;a style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot; href=&quot;https://www.pulse-clinic.com.sg/genital-warts&quot;&gt;&lt;span class=&quot;s1&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366; text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;Genital warts&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Oral, anal, and penile cancer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancer&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What To Expect When You See our Doctors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;So how do we know whether we have cervical cancer, or not?&lt;/em&gt; This is when the doctor would ask, &amp;ldquo;When was the last time you&amp;rsquo;ve had your pap smear done?&amp;rdquo; and then proceeds to recommend a pap smear if you reply more than 3 years ago or&lt;em&gt; &amp;ldquo;What is that?&amp;rdquo;&lt;/em&gt; with a blank look. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;A pap smear is a screening procedure for cervical cancer which involves collecting some cells from the cervix. This specimen is then sent to the lab where it is examined for any abnormal changes in the cells under a microscope.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When Should You Get a Pap Smear Done?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In your 20s&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Generally, it&amp;rsquo;s recommended for ladies aged 21 and up to start getting their pap smears done every 3 years on average. (Fun fact: If you are a virgin, you can also consider getting tested even though the risk is extremely low as contracting HPV is NOT the only way of developing cervical cancer.) If there are abnormal findings or certain risk factors, then the doctors will probably recommend more frequent testing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In your 30s&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;From age 30, doctors will also recommend an additional HPV test to pap smear (not to worry, it&amp;rsquo;s still the same specimen, there&amp;rsquo;s no extra procedure for this additional test!) every 5 years to detect the presence of the virus, especially the high-risk strains 16 and 18 which are responsible for an estimated 70% of cervical cancers. (Fun fact: there are more than 100 HPV strains known to date.)&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h3&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In your 60s&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;When you reach about age 65 and have a chat with your doctor again, he or she might even say that you probably no longer require any more pap smear if all your previous tests generated normal findings AND you&amp;rsquo;ve stopped being sexually active. Talk to your doctor in detail to determine if there&amp;rsquo;s a need.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;If you&amp;rsquo;ve had a total hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus and cervix, there&amp;rsquo;s also a possibility that you might not need to proceed with any more routine pap smears, again, have a chat with your doctor about it. There are still certain risk factors that might still warrant continued routine testing.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What are Some of the Risk Factors?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Risk factors that might warrant frequent pap smear testing include:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Abnormal cell findings on previous pap smear&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Immunocompromised (weakened immune system) status due to chemotherapy, organ transplant, etc.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Positive HIV status&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So How Should We Go About Preparing for the Pap Smear?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Avoid any form of vaginal intercourse (including toys) at least 2 days prior to the appointment&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Avoid using any vaginal pessaries, spermicidal foam/gels/creams at least 2 days prior to the appointment&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;Postpone your appointment if you are having your period&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What to Expect from the Pap Smear Procedure?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;During the procedure, the doctor or the medical personnel will request that you undress from the waist down (or completely if you are wearing a one-piece, you can leave the bra on though) and lie on the examination bed with your knees bent and feet apart, or heels to rest in support called stirrups. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;The doctor will then insert a lubricated speculum into your vagina to hold the vaginal walls apart for a clearer view of the cervix and to allow a visual examination as well. There might be some discomfort during the insertion due to the sensation of pressure, try to relax as much as possible! &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;A cytobrush (it&amp;rsquo;s just a brush really, bristles are rather soft at that) is then inserted and rotated several times on the cervix to collect the cervical cells, removed, and dunked into a special solution which will then be sent to the lab for further analysis. The speculum will then be removed and you&amp;rsquo;ll be told to dress up. &lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;The procedure ends here. You&amp;rsquo;re free to go about your activities, with no restrictions!&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;h2&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;How Long Do I Need to Wait for My Pap Smear Result?&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h2&gt;
&lt;hr /&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #333333;&quot;&gt;The results should generally be available in about 2 working days, if there are any abnormalities the doctor might suggest a follow-up pap smear sooner than the average routine test, or even other procedures like colposcopy.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #003366;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have a private discussion with our doctor about your concerns at our clinic.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;

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