I just got a call from my nurse at the OB/GYN, and she told me I needed to come back in because my pap results come back abnormal. That really scares me. She told whatever it is isn't harmful to me or the baby....which I totally don't get....(Yes, I know I'm pregnant. But how could something WRONG down there not be harmful....)? Have any of you ladies had an abnormal pap before (This is my first abnormal one?) Any ideas on what it could be....just to prepare me for anything?
It might mean you have cervical cancer cells...which is easily treatable if found early. If not found early, you rist sterility (is that a word?)... I had an abnormal pap, but I went to a different doc and got re-tested and it was normal...so I got another one done and it came back normal. Don't get too worked up about it. If you've been going to the gyno annually, chances are, if it IS abnormal, it was caught early enough to do something about it.
About 1% of women who have an "abnormal" pap actually have anything wrong with them. There are many factors that can cause an abnormal pap result, and care providers really need to be more careful of their wording when telling women about their results . Pregnancy, birth control pills, where in your menstrual cycle you are, douching, recent intercourse, bubble baths, yeast medicines, certain OTC meds, sex toys, minor infections, HPV virus (of which there are hundreds, most benign), the skill of the person taking the sample, the type of pap kit used, the skill of the cytotechnologist running the sample, other infections, cervicitis, many, many things which 99% of the time mean absolutely nothing. With my first pregnancy, I had an abmormal pap, the doctor called me and told me "Your pap results are abnormal with pre-cancerous cell growth." I freaked out! I was only 16 at the time, plus my grandmother had had breast and cervical cancer. I cried for days, and the doctor apologized for scaring the shit out of me after my grandmother cussed him up and down the fence. Turns out, NOTHING was wrong, and I have only had normal results since then. So you know what to expect, they will probably do a follow up pap in about 6 months, which will more than likely be perfectly normal. If not, they may order a colposcopy, which is basically bathing the cervix in plain old white vinegar (but they'll give it a fancy medical name ) and looking at it with a special microscope and light. Only if those results are abnormal, they'll order a biopsy, which is like a pap, only they take a bigger sample of cervical tissue by nipping off a tiny piece (ouchie!) The good news, even after the worst news, is cervical cancer is one of the slowest growing cancers and has the highest recovery rate when identifyed and treated early. So, even if in the highly unlikely event that you do have pre-cancerous growth, it will not affect your pregnancy or your baby, after the birth is plenty of time to treat it, and you have a 99% chance of being completely cured. So don;t worry, abnormal paps are almost normal in itself!
I had an abnormal pap once too, got retested, and it was normal. I haven't had any abnormals since then, and that was several years ago.
I too had an abnormal result when I was pregnant, My ~ holistic~ midwife told me to boost my b vitamin intake. No worries sistah-its probably nothing. Some Drs really need to explain this better to their patients, proper bedside manner would be nice ya know!
Well, thanks mamas for putting my mind at rest. My mom had never had an abnormal one, and I figured who better to ask than the wonderfully open women here at the forums. They ordered me in for a colposcopy for May. I'm not too worried after reading the posts from you women. Thanks again.
a colposcopy during pregnancy? Doesn't seem very safe to me.... Could you find yourself a midwife maybe? Or a second opinion? Because snipping at the cervix of a preggo woman seems to be a bit stupid...
I'm going to look around and see what I can find before then. The nurse told me they were just going to do a vinegar wash and use a special light and scope (like brighid said) and examine further.
Well, I hate to push a subject...but if they try to attack your yoni with anything sharp, RUN TO A MIDWIFE!
nuh uh... paps are notoriously inaccurate during pregnancy or within six months afterwards. I'd wait until your baby is six months old, have another pap, and if that one is abnormal, *then* look into letting them take tissue samples. Do your research, too. www.pubmed.com has all the published studies, just use their search feature. it's never ever a bad idea to get a second opinion with a doc in a different practice, and most insurance companies cover 2nd opinions 100%, you just have to call and get it approved ahead of time.
Haha. No way is anything sharp going near my baby box. I've been calling around to other gynocologists and finding out about them. I think I have another one picked out for that second opinion. I just have to get an appointment set up....I suppose she's pretty good as she's constantly booked.
I would def. wait till after you had the baby as long as your baby is fine and growing healthy I would just wait. I know that at times when I was mentrating I had a pap and it came out abnormal but then went back in after it was done and it came out fine. Dont go letting your doctors do anything to you while your pregnant wait till at least 6mon. after you give birth just like another hipforums lady advised. I wouldnt worry to much though as long as everything is going good with the pregnancy. Best wishes my dear. Peace and Love www.dawnson64.piczo.com
