Pap every 3 yrs????

[BabbyO]

Friday I went to my annual exam and my doc said that recently they have changed the recommendations for women over 35 (I think that was the age...it was 30 or 35) saying that if they have had no abnomalities or other concerns they can get a pap every 3 yrs instead of every year. He said that he is onboard with the recommendation and that his governing body (I think the American Board of Osteopathic Obstreticians and Gynecologists - or the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists)

He said he'd leave it up to me, but I didn't need to have the pap done (They'd still do a pelvic exam, though).

This was completely unexpected, and at this point I'm pretty certain that our insurance would be covering it, so I opted to get the pap and do some research.

Just wondering if anyone else had heard of this and what their take is on it??

[BDKmom]

Two years ago when I went for my yearly exam, my gyn said that they had changed the rec to every other year if you are over 30 and have had at least two normal paps in a row. She said basically that it is very rare for someone to get cervical cancer at that age with no history of issues. I opted to not have one at that time. Then this year, at one of my prenatal visits, the nurse practitioner says, "today we are going to do a pap," and I questioned her on it since it still had only been a year and a half since my last one, and she acted like she didn't know what I was talking about (same practice) and got pretty worked up that I was trying to refuse one. She was doing a culture that day anyway, and basically said it was going to feel the same whether she did the pap or not, and ins. would pay, blah, blah, so I just let her do it.

I have not researched since then, but my sister's gyn in another part of the country told her the same thing about recs changing. I think I am fine with going to every other year. Don't know if I would go 3 yrs, though. But I have absolutely no history of any issues or any family history or anything.

[wendibird22]

Yes I had heard of the switch to every 3 years. My ob/gyn still does it yearly but this year she also specifically told me their standard is to now test for HPV and that a positive HPV test would guarantee a yearly pap.

[karstmama]

if you're monogamous and your partner is, too, every 2-3 is fine with a history of normal paps for the last several. :)

[BabbyO]

Yes I had heard of the switch to every 3 years. My ob/gyn still does it yearly but this year she also specifically told me their standard is to now test for HPV and that a positive HPV test would guarantee a yearly pap.

This is the part that surprised me. I tested positive for HPV; granted it was about 8 yrs ago...and I have had normal paps since I had the LEEP procedure. But at that time, the Doc kinda gave me grief about getting regular paps (his records showed a gap because my med records from when I was in college hadn't shown up.). I told him that I'd had a pap the year before and he was surprised that the pre-cancerous cells show up so aggressively in 1 yr.

[Fairy]

I think it's ridiculous. I will get one yearly, and if the insurance company won't pay for it, I will.

[smiles33]

Yeah, I was told that last year or the year before but I've had 3 abnormal paps in the last 10 years (including 1 that required a LEEP right before our wedding!). Thus, I always get one every year and my PCP is happy to oblige when I decline to wait for 2 more years.

[Katigre]

Yes, I've heard that and think it makes good sense.

[brittone2]

Yes, I've heard that and think it makes good sense.
:yeahthat: Overtesting for many things has a set of risks as well.

[gatorsmom]

Yes, I've heard that and think it makes good sense.
:yeahthat: but peace of mind makes good sense too so I'll still be getting one every year. Dr said it was fine and that I wasnt alone.

[LexyLou]

if you're monogamous and your partner is, too, every 2-3 is fine with a history of normal paps for the last several. :)

:yeahthat:

[BabbyO]

I think at this point I'm definitely going with every year. I know I've had normal paps for about 8 yrs...but I'd had normal paps for 8 years before I all of the sudden had an abnormal pap. It turned out to be pre-cancerous cells due to HPV. A strain that isn't common and fairly aggressive.

So the thought that I could have gone 3 yrs without detecting that...is SCARY to me.

[wellyes]

From what I've read, OBs are very comfortable with the new recommendations. More screenings do not result in a better result, according to all the evidence.


:yeahthat: Overtesting for many things has a set of risks as well.
Yes. I've also read that overtreatment for HPV (treating it early in young women, when it is common and usually goes away) has some risks longer-term.

[bisous]

if you're monogamous and your partner is, too, every 2-3 is fine with a history of normal paps for the last several. :)

Agreed.

[lizzywednesday]

I think at this point I'm definitely going with every year. I know I've had normal paps for about 8 yrs...but I'd had normal paps for 8 years before I all of the sudden had an abnormal pap. It turned out to be pre-cancerous cells due to HPV. A strain that isn't common and fairly aggressive.

So the thought that I could have gone 3 yrs without detecting that...is SCARY to me.

:yeahthat:

I'm in a similar boat - normal paps for 7-ish years and then an abnormal about 6 yrs ago and a positive HPV test, for which they recommended a colposcopy.

My gyn agrees with me that, despite having normal annual pap results for the 2 years we've been working with each other, that abnormal pap & subsequent testing is enough to keep us on an annual schedule.

We can revisit it if I continue to have clear tests but, for now, I'm going to stick with annual paps. If I ever have to fight my insurance company on it, I will.

[BabbyO]

:yeahthat:

I'm in a similar boat - normal paps for 7-ish years and then an abnormal about 6 yrs ago and a positive HPV test, for which they recommended a colposcopy.

My gyn agrees with me that, despite having normal annual pap results for the 2 years we've been working with each other, that abnormal pap & subsequent testing is enough to keep us on an annual schedule.

We can revisit it if I continue to have clear tests but, for now, I'm going to stick with annual paps. If I ever have to fight my insurance company on it, I will.

Glad that I'm not the only one to feel this way. My doc seemed surprised that I wanted the pap. I understand over testing...but I don't feel like 1x/yr is over testing...esp if someone has had a history of something like HPV. Its not like it (HPV) is gone from my system...just the pre-cancerous cells. So couldn't the HPV cause me to get pre-cancerous cells again??? Maybe there is something else I'm missing.

[AngB]

Meh, if you are supposed to still go for a physical/well woman's exam yearly anyway, might as well have a pap done while they are at it.

I wonder when they made this rec if they thought about women who thought they were in monogamous relationships but aren't (ie.spouse cheating.)

I think my ob/gyn still does them yearly, but I've been pregnant so much over the last few years I'm not sure if it's universal. (If one hasn't been done within 6ish months, she likes to do one in early pregnancy with the other stuff.)