Did you know that having a gynecological examination and Pap smear once a year after becoming sexually active reduces deaths related to cervical cancer by 50%? It is now accepted worldwide that CERVICAL CANCER CAN BE PREVENTED.

The Pap smear test is a screening test used to detect precancerous changes in the cervix. It is recommended once a year for women over the age of 18 who are sexually active.

For women with viral infections such as HSV or HPV, or for those who have previously had low- or high-grade cervical lesions (CIN), it is recommended every 6 months.

The test is very simple and painless. During a routine gynecological examination, cells shed from the cervix are collected with a small brush, spread onto a slide, and fixed. A pathologist then examines them under a microscope and prepares a report. With the ThinPrep method, where the brush is placed directly into an alcohol-based solution instead of onto a slide, the false-negative rate has been reduced to about 4%. This method can also identify the types of HPV virus associated with cervical cancer.

The best time to have a Pap smear is during the week after your menstrual period ends. It is important not to have sexual intercourse, use vaginal creams or suppositories, or perform vaginal douching for 2–3 days before the test. In addition, the test is not performed during vaginal bleeding or severe vaginal infections with heavy discharge, as these may affect the results.

Even after menopause, the Pap smear test should not be neglected alongside annual mammography and bone density measurements. Ideally, it should be performed before pregnancy, but if it has not been done previously, it is strongly recommended at the beginning of pregnancy, because cervical cancer is unfortunately the most common genital cancer during pregnancy. Contrary to common belief, having a Pap smear during pregnancy does not harm the mother or the baby.

We spend time on so many things in daily life. But when it comes to our own health, maybe we hesitate, maybe we are afraid, maybe we feel uncomfortable, or maybe we think, “Nothing will happen to me.”

Of course, we wish that nothing bad would happen to anyone. But we still need to take precautions, don’t we? Let’s put our fears aside, stop postponing, and dedicate just one day out of 365 to ourselves.

What do you think?

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