Q&A
"Why Did I Get An Abnormal Pap Test Result?"
Question:
I had an abnormal Pap smear and my doctor suggests doing another Pap test a few months later. What causes the abnormal result? I'm 27.
This is usually caused by an infection of the human papillomavirus or HPV, a common virus that infects six out of 10 sexually active women. HPV is highly contagious and it can take only one sexual contact to get infected.
The good news is that for most people, the virus do not cause any noticeable symptoms and will clear within three to six months. However, some "high-risk" strains of HPV are associated with cervical cancer and precancerous conditions.
Because cervical cancer has a long warning period, regular Pap smear screening is the key to prevention.
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