Purpose of pap smear after finding out pregnant?!
Question: I know the doctor will do a pap smear when you find out you are pregnant to test for abnormal cells, but for what purpose? If they find abnormal cells, what will they do? I had a pap last time and it resulted in miscarriage. This time around, I would rather opt not to have it again. They might say now that it was not caused by the pap, but research is always coming out about new things. What if, 5 years from now they find out that they do in fact cause miscarriages!
Answers: I know the doctor will do a pap smear when you find out you are pregnant to test for abnormal cells, but for what purpose? If they find abnormal cells, what will they do? I had a pap last time and it resulted in miscarriage. This time around, I would rather opt not to have it again. They might say now that it was not caused by the pap, but research is always coming out about new things. What if, 5 years from now they find out that they do in fact cause miscarriages!
First understand it is YOUR body, if you don't want something just say NO. If the doc has a problem with it, you need a different doc. To answer your question, nothing. They are going to do nothing, if you are pregnant, so you are correct, wait until you are not. Docs do many things for no reason other than it is routine.
I really do not know why they need a pap, but if you feel uncomfortable with it, I say skip it. Your child is worth more than the small chance they may have cancer when you haven't in the past.
A pap smear is not going to cause a miscarriage. It isn't even an invasive test. It is no more traumatic than having sex.
First of all, you can not be sure that that's what caused the miscarriage. Sure, it MAY result in a miscarriage, but think of all the other women who have had perfectly fine children after having had a pap smear. And, to the person who was several posts above, there is always a chance that a person can develop cancer. They want to make sure that you don't, and it really won't harm the baby. Really.
its to check for abnormal cells or std's if any at all. now i doubt that it causes miscarriges, maybe your body was not ready to hold the baby yet or the cells of the child was not forming the was it should be.
They do the pap only if you have not had one done in the last year. If you have had one, you can wait until your post partum check at 6 weeks.
A pap will not cause a miscarriage, and the reason they do insist that you have it is because of the increasing numbers of women with HPV. You are right in saying they will not do anything until after the pregnancy, however, HPV can still be passed along to your partner, and genital warts could be very unplesant while pregnant. Im not sure if there is any underlaying cause to the baby from the warts, but wouldnt you rather be safe, than your baby be sick in the end?