A Pap smear involves collecting cells from your cervix — the lower, narrow end of your uterus that's at the top of your vagina.
Guide. A Pap test is done to look for changes in the cells of the cervix. During a Pap test, a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix is collected by your doctor.  Pap test. The Papanicolaou test (abbreviated as Pap test, known earlier as Pap smear, cervical smear, or smear test) is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix (opening of the uterus or womb). In the United States, Pap smear screening is recommended starting around 21 years of age until the age of 65. Guidelines on frequency vary from every three to five years. If results are abnormal, and depending on the nature of the abnormality, the test may need to be repeated in six to twelve months. The Pap test is done during a pelvic exam. A doctor uses a device called a speculum to widen the opening of the vagina so that the cervix and vagina can be examined. A plastic spatula and small brush are used to collect cells from the cervix. After the cells are taken, they are placed into a solution. If detected early, cervical cancer can be cured. Pap screen testing should begin at age 21. Routine screening is recommended every three years for women 21-65 years old. For women 30 to 65 years who have a normal Pap test with a negative HPV test, screening every five years is considered adequate. A cervical screening test (previously known as a smear test) is a method of detecting abnormal cells on the cervix. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina. Detecting and removing abnormal cervical cells can prevent cervical cancer. Cervical screening isn't a test for cancer; it's a test to check the health of the cells of the cervix. A Pap smear, also called a Pap test, is a procedure to test for cervical cancer in women. A Pap smear involves collecting cells from your cervix — the lower, narrow end of your uterus that's at the top of your vagina. Detecting cervical cancer early with a Pap smear gives you a greater chance at a cure. A Pap smear can also detect changes in your cervical cells that suggest cancer may develop in the future. Detecting these abnormal cells early with a Pap smear is your first step in halting the possible development of cervical cancer. 1  Why it's done. A Pap smear is used to screen for cervical cancer. The Pap smear is usually done in conjunction with a pelvic exam. In women older than age 30, the Pap test may be combined with a test for human papillomavirus (HPV) — a common sexually transmitted infection that can cause cervical cancer in some women. Women age 30 and older can consider Pap testing every 5 years if the procedure is combined with testing for HPV. If you have certain risk factors, your doctor may recommend more-frequent Pap smears, regardless of your age. Pap tests are often done during pelvic exams, but you can have a pelvic exam without having a Pap test. A pelvic exam without a Pap test will not help find abnormal cells of the cervix or cervical cancer at an early stage. The Pap test is often done during a pelvic exam, after the speculum is placed. To do a Pap test, the doctor removes cells from the cervix by gently scraping or brushing it with a special instrument. Pelvic exams may help find other types of cancers and reproductive problems, but a Pap test is needed to find early cervical cancer or pre-cancers.  A Pap test is a test of a sample of cells taken from a woman's cervix or vagina. The test is used to look for changes in the cells of the cervix and vagina that show cancer or conditions that may develop into cancer. If detected early, cervical cancer can be cured. Pap screen testing should begin at age 21. Routine screening is recommended every three years for women 21-65 years old. For women 30 to 65 years who have a normal Pap test with a negative HPV test, screening every five years is considered adequate. A Pap test checks the cervix for abnormal cell changes. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus (womb), which opens into the vagina. Cell changes can develop on the cervix that, if not found and treated, can lead to cervical cancer. Pap tests can also find abnormal cervical cells before they turn into cancer cells. Treating these abnormal cells can help prevent most cases of cervical cancer from developing. Getting a Pap test is one of the best things you can do to prevent
http://www.webmd.com/women/pap-test https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pap_test http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/pap-smear http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cervical-screening-test/Pages/Introduction.aspx http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pap-smear/basics/definition/prc-20013038 http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pap-smear/basics/why-its-done/PRC-20013038 http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervicalcancer/moreinformation/cervicalcancerpreventionandearlydetection/cervical-cancer-prevention-and-early-detection-pap-test http://www.webmd.com/women/guide/pap-smear http://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/pap-test.html
how is a smear test done