Yesterday I recieved a call from my doctor's office telling me they recieved my results from the tests done 2 weeks ago at my first prenatal visit. She told me everything was ok except for the pap smear which revealed some abnormal cells. I immedietly started freaking out thinking I was developing cancer. She told me not to be too concerned because the cells were only slightly abnormal, a step below normal. She said sometimes this happens in pregnancy but they want to do a coloposy(sp) to make sure. I do not have inflamation or any infections but she said they check for hpv in these situations. Has anyone encountered this problem? I hope that I am over worrying myself but honeslty I am really frightened.
I got a call from my doctors office telling me the results of my first prenatal visit (im 14 weeks pregnant). Anyway it took them 2 weeks to get the pap smear results in and she told me that it was abnormal but only slightly, basically a step below normal. She was telling me not to worry that they would do a colospy (sp?) and see if it looks abnormal still and determine the cause. She even mentioned hpv. I am STD free so far but I was never screened for hpv. I have no symptoms of the virus and neither does my husband. I just dont understand why they dont screen for this routinely. I understand hpv causes many abnormal paps. My husband was a virgin before me. Does anyone have any info?
You can't screen for HPV. Like you said, you know it when you get an abnormal PAP smear. There are types of HPV which cause warts and others which do not, so you wouldn't see any "symptoms" if it's the non wart type.
My docotors office called me yesterday to tell me that my pap smear came back slightly abnormal, basically a step below normal. I had the test two weeks ago at my prenatal visit. (im 14 weeks pregnant). I was very worried and she told me that the cellular changes could be due to the pregnancy and they would do a colospy (sp?) to make sure. I dont have any infections or inflamation but i was never checked for hpv which is something she said they check for with abnormal paps. Im so worried and was wondering if any of you have been in this situation or know someone who has.
I have had a number of abnormal pap, caused by the HPV. I also had the Coloscopy procedure done. Since then, I have not had an abnormal pap. I have never hear of doing the coloscopy so soon though. Generally, they do more paps and then a biobsy of the area to see if the cells are truly cancerous, then if they are the coloscopy is done. I am not sure if the series of events would be different because your pregnant, but I would certainly inquire with your doctor.
I have had three coposcopies and have to have another in October. I know how you feel because I was really freaked out the first time. It really osn't much to worry about. Cervical cancer has something like a 90% survival rate because of pap smears. I had stage 3 dysplasia (last one before it's cancer) and my sister actually HAD cervical cancer. In both cases they burned off the cells. They look with a tiny camera and it shows on a tv screen. To me it looked like my cervix had a little water blister on it. They did a LEEP procedure where they brush an electrical current over top and it is wiped away. It was all painless! They do numb the area and it gives you an adrenilane rush. They might just take a tiny biopsy(doesn't hurt...makes you spot a tiny bit) My doctor told me that all this is perfectly safe when you are pregnant. I am of course describing worst case scenario. It is pretty scary not knowing what to expect though. At mine they showed you video before decribing what was going to happen. The first time I did find the whole experience somewhat overwhelming and would have liked a friend there. Maybe you dh, best friend or mom could come with you? Remember: the worst it could be is still not that bad!!!!! Pre-cancerous lesions on the cervix are mostly caused by HPV, a sexually transmitted disease that 1 in 4 people under 30 have. I hope this helps! Don't worry, you'll be fine!
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Christine,
due with #1 Feb 3, 2004 It's a Boy!!!
Hi, just wanted to tell you my experience with a bad pap. I had to get a coloscopy (sp?) also, and it turned out to be nothing big. They said I had a tilted uterus, which is so common. I have never had any other problems and am now pg. for the first time (knock on wood) without complications. Good luck!
besafe i too got an abnormal pap when i was pregnant with my last child i had never had an abnormal pap before so like you i was a little freaked my dr did a colposcopy and it came back i had severe cervical dysplasia i was told it sometimes happens to pregnant women after i gave birth i had another one done at my six week checkup and it was mild dysplasia so it is getting better i have to have 1 more done here real soon and im sure it will come back just fine wishing you luck
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__________________ If GOD brings you to it... He WILL bring you through it.
Almost evey one of us has had an abnormal pap at one time or another. The standard course of action for an abnormal pap test is to do a colposcopy to look closer at the cervix tissue and generally do a biopsy at the same time if the doc feels it needs to be done. Many times an abnormal pap can be caused by something as minor as a severely irritated cervix or it could be from HPV or other causes. Until you get the colposcopy and biopsy done if needed try to keep your worries to a minimum since most of us have been through this at least once or more during our lifetime. I have had abnormal paps twice so far.
I agree that many of us have had abnormal paps. If it wasn't common to have that kind of problem, we wouldn't have to go through it once a year. I had an abnormal one in 2000 and had a colposcopy with biopsies followed by a year of paps every three months. All of them were normal, until this spring when I had another abnormal one. The doc did another colposcopy with biopsies and a digene test for high risk HPV. Turns out I had the HPV so the next step was a LEEP. I have my first follow-up pap to my LEEP next week.
You are not alone.
I can't really tell you about the pregnancy side of it. Someone else here probably can. I am guessing that they will give you the option to leave your cervix alone until after you deliver, especially if the changes are only slightly abnormal. I do think I have heard of dysplasia progressing faster during pregnancy.
Please try to relax. Call your doc and ask some questions if it will help. The last thing you and your baby need are added stress right now.
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thanks so much everyone for your replies. I already feel a great sense of relief from reading your posts! Im going to remain optomistic and hopefully it will be fine. you guys are the best!!!!
thanks everyone for your replies. I hope its not hpv. Im not sure what my husband will think if I have a sexually transmitted disease. (i was sure I was clean since ive been tested for evrything else). oh well. thanks again everyone for your help and advice.
I too had 2 abnormal paps, had a colposcopy and a biopsy and was sched to have a LEEP. I found out about 4 days prior though that I was pg. My doc has told me that it's completely fine and won't hurt the baby to wait to have the LEEP done until after the baby is born
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EDD 4/8/04
Juliana or Cole
DS Ben turns 8 on 8/26
I also wanted to share something I read recently. It was an article about abnormal pap smears. I can't remember where but...it said that most people that have abnormal or pre cancerous cells on their cervix have normal pap smears after a vaginal birth! I'm hoping will be able to deliver vaginally and those pesky cells will **** off! Good luck with your test!
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Christine,
due with #1 Jan 22, 2004
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Christine,
due with #1 Feb 3, 2004 It's a Boy!!!
Just a little FYI that I found interesting. It is not normal to have one abnorman pap, but normal to have several abnormal paps. I always found that interesting. I guess this could happen because of HPV or something.
Don't get yourself too worried, there are other things that can cause an abnormal pap besides HPV. For instance, if you had a yeast infection or bacterial infection at the time, that could result in an abnormal reading, and some also say that using lube or spermicide close to the time you get your pap can make it come back abnormal. Try not to worry until you go back for your follow up, and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
you CAN screen for HPV.... there are hundreds of strains... and only the "high risk" strains are of concern... however, my pap was "viral tested" for the virus and came back negative...
anyway, i've been going thru a series of paps over the last year and a half... they've still all come back abnormal... this past week i had my 2nd colposcopy... it really isn't anything to be afraid of... and they're just being cautious.... this past time i went i specifically asked the doc if this was going to stop my plans of trying to conceive in the next few months.. he said "absolutely not" this has nothing to do with becoming pregnant or harming the pregnancy.... if the pap was "a step below normal"... that's where mine have been over the past year... he's just been watching me with a pap every 3 months and eventually it'll clear....
not everyone who has an abnormal pap has hpv.... i have paps that are abnormal... and i DO NOT have hpv... i had chlamydia a year and a half ago which sparked all of this.... try not to worry... your doc is doing the right thing... you'll be fine
i think that has got to be the worst ever procedure. i am hpv positive. it sucks. my boyfriend never tested for it (b/c you really cant unless you have a wart) and in the 4 1/2 years we've been together he's never had any warts (but he's the one i got it from as his ex girlfriend has it too, and sickly enough she sees the same doc as me.. eek) anyways, i never had, nor have i had any visible warts. mine were only found after having a negative pap, and could only be seen under microscope.
but as a favor to your child if you ARE positive, please have a c-section, b/c it IS possible to spread it to your child through natural birth. and if i were a parent i'd hate to explain to my child that any person she ever has sex with she has to tell them she's hpv positive even though she's never had sex. that'd blow... not to mention i'd hate to be the parent explaining to my child that i gave it to her.
i think there's A LOT of confusion about HPV... how its spread... how people contract it, and then how people are born with it etc.... my ex husband has hpv.... he's had it since he was little... but, he doesn't HAVE GENITAL WARTS.... there's a huge difference between the hpv that causes genital warts and hpv that doesn't..... my children have had warts on their feet/hand.... any wart of any kind on any part of your body .. hpv is responsible for.... that doesn't mean that because i gave birth to them vaginally "I gave it to them"..... i'm negative for any strain of hpv... i've never had a wart of any kind on any part of my body.... but, my children have..... even with herpes, (which i believe is far worse than hpv) if you dont' have an outbreak while delivering, the baby will not get it.... my sister has herpes, and has had 2 kids that don't have it....
i really think being mis informed is more dangerous than being infected and well educated on the subject.
[This message has been edited by livenlearn (edited 08-22-2003).]
pap smear abnormal please help 
abnormal pap terrified 
If GOD brings you to it... He WILL bring you through it. 
...good luck to you too!!!
