What is a pap "test" or "smear"?

What is a pap "test" or "smear"?

Michael Tahery (Obstetrician & Gynecologist) gives expert video advice on: What is my doctor looking for during a breast exam?; Can I do my own breast exam?; How common are abnormal pap smear results? and more...

A Pap test is a screening test. Basically, what we look for in a pap test is cellular abnormalities or changes that have no symptoms and we cannot see with the naked eye. A person could have a problem with their cervix and we would not know and she would not have any symptoms. So, when we do a Pap smear, we actually get a sample of the cells in her cervix. This way, by looking at these cells from the pap test under the microscope, we can tell, up to 70 to 80 percent of the time what's going on and if there is any problem. Basically, this is a screening test as a warning for something that may be going on in the cervix.