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If A Woman Is On Her Period, And Gets A
Question: If a woman is on her period, and gets a pap smear done, are endometrial cells commonly seen?
Brief Answer:
Accidentally seen but not important or preferred to be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thank you for using "Ask a doctor" service.
Pap smear normally does not check the endometrial cells but only the cells of the crevix. It is a test which is used to spot on time possible cancer cells on the neck of the uterus. The endometrium is inside the uterus.
During the period a woman losses the inside part of the endometrium with the period. So those cells can be accidentally taken with the sample of the pap smear. But the pathologist signs it on the result more as a disturbance finding on the result of the pap smear. That is why it is not recommended to do a pap test during the period but rather 5 days after the period.
Hope this is helpful. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards, Dr. Klarida Papaqako, General and Family physician.
Accidentally seen but not important or preferred to be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hello, Thank you for using "Ask a doctor" service.
Pap smear normally does not check the endometrial cells but only the cells of the crevix. It is a test which is used to spot on time possible cancer cells on the neck of the uterus. The endometrium is inside the uterus.
During the period a woman losses the inside part of the endometrium with the period. So those cells can be accidentally taken with the sample of the pap smear. But the pathologist signs it on the result more as a disturbance finding on the result of the pap smear. That is why it is not recommended to do a pap test during the period but rather 5 days after the period.
Hope this is helpful. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Kind regards, Dr. Klarida Papaqako, General and Family physician.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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