age recommendations for pap smears
Pap Smears. Recommendation. Don't perform Pap smears on women under the age of 21 or women who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancer disease. Most observed abnormalities in adolescents regress spontaneously, therefore screening Pap smears done in this age group can lead to unnecessary anxiety, additional testing, and cost.  Women age 30 and older who have had three consecutive normal Pap smears should. have a Pap smear every three years.  Women who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancerous reasons do not need a Pap. smear unless they have a cervix. These guidelines need to be followed whether you have or have not had the HPV vaccine. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) revised their recommended cervical cancer screening schedule for women in 2009, with further revisions in 2012. The results of these updated recommendations are as follows: All Women should have their first Pap smear at age 21. Previous guidelines recommended women have their first Pap three years after they become sexually active or at age 21 -- whichever came first. Now it is recommended no earlier than age 21 regardless of when they became sexually active. By Jaime Arruda, MD. Medical guidelines can be confusing for women keeping up with what they should be tested for, when and how often. It gets even more confusing when those guidelines change, which is the case with Pap smears and co-testing for HPV (human papillomavirus) for women over age 30. Combining the Pap test and HPV testing every 3 to 5 years is preferred for ages 30 and older. 1  Q: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is releasing new guidelines on cervical cancer screenings. 2  A: In the 1930s, cervical cancer was the deadliest women's cancer in America. Don't perform Pap smears on women under the age of 21 or women who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancer disease. 1  Most observed abnormalities in adolescents regress spontaneously, therefore screening Pap smears done in this age group can lead to unnecessary anxiety, additional testing, and cost. The results of these updated recommendations are as follows: 1  All Women should have their first Pap smear at age 21. 2  Women who have had the HPV vaccine should follow the same screening guidelines. 3  Women between the ages of 21 and 30 should have a Pap smear every three years. The USPSTF recommends screening for cervical cancer in women age 21 to 65 years with cytology (Pap smear) every 3 years or, for women ages 30 to 65 years who want to lengthen the screening interval, screening with a combination of cytology and HPV testing every 5 years (A recommendation). For women who do not fit the new guidelines, it is recommended that you have exams more frequently than every five years. Depending on your specific situation your doctor will provide you with an appropriate exam schedule to follow. And women age 21-30 should continue to get a Pap smear every other year. recently came out with new Pap smear guidelines.  Women should have their first screening Pap smear at age 21 unless the woman has. had a previous abnormal Pap smear.  Women in their 20’s should have a Pap smear every two years (assuming prior Pap. smears have been normal).
21 years