Your gynecologist will regularly do a Pap smear. This service is part of cancer screening and is paid for by your health insurance company. But unfortunately only at a certain age.
What is the pap smear?
A Pap smear is a vaginal cell smear that gynecologists take as part of female cancer screening. The test is named after its developer, the Greek doctor George Papanicolaou. The smear is also known as a cancer screening smear or Pap test.
The test is intended to provide early evidence of the possible presence of HPV viruses in the cervix. These sexually transmitted viruses can cause cervical cancer and malignant growths. If they are detected early, the necessary steps can be taken to remove the cancer. A regular smear ensures significantly fewer cases of cervical cancer and fatal outcomes.
How does the Pap test work?
The Pap test is not painful at all, if only a little uncomfortable the first time. You don’t need to have any fears or concerns. Your attending gynecologist will help you your first visit explain exactly what is happening.
This is how the Pap smear is taken
- You sit comfortably on the special examination chair and slide all the way down with your legs open. The legs are bent 90 ° C. Your legs rest on the special leg holder supports. You can relax and breathe as calmly as possible.
- Your doctor will open your vagina slightly with a speculum so that you can examine it better.
- Then they use a brush or spatula to remove some cell material from the uterine canal and cervix. You insert the spatula very carefully. You hardly notice anything.
- The material taken is fixed on a slide and sent to the laboratory as a sample.
- There, the Papanicolaou stain, named after the inventor, is used to determine whether malignant tissue is present.
Your doctor will wait for the laboratory results and then receive a report. You will only be informed if there are any abnormalities. These are classified as follows:
| findings group | result | follow-up examinations |
| Pap 0 | Not enough material for a possible finding | repetition of the smear |
| Pap I | Normal results | check-up a year later |
| Pap II | Physiological finding with mild inflammation | check-up a year later |
| Pap III | Severe inflammation, possible HPV infection | Another check-up |
| Pap III D | mild to moderate cell dysplasia | Check every three months |
| Pap IV A | severe cell dysplasia | Removal of tissue or section of the suspicious cell material |
| Pap IV B | carcinoma possible | Tissue removal or section of the material, examination for further scattering |
| Pope V | Malignant cervical carcinoma (cervical cancer) | Tissue removal, section of the material, investigation regarding scattering |
What happens if the Pap smear is abnormal?
As soon as the laboratory test is conspicuous, you will be informed and, if necessary, asked to be examined again. The doctor will then discuss further treatment and the procedure with you. First of all, don’t worry. HPV infection rarely causes cancer after years, and when it does, it takes 10 to 15 years on average. Thanks to early detection, affected tissue can be removed very easily. Any further questions should be asked directly by your medical team.
Women over 35 must pay for the annual Pap test themselves
The Pap smear is one of the services provided by statutory health insurance companies. So far, this has applied without restriction to every woman. But according to the latest research findings there is a change. The test is now only paid for every 3 years for women aged 35 and over. This is because HPV infections are less common in older women. It was therefore decided that a cell smear every three to five years would be sufficient. This means:
- Women up to the age of 34 receive an annual Pap test as a health insurance benefit.
- Women over the age of 35 receive a Pap test every three years as a health insurance benefit.
- Nevertheless, women over the age of 35 can, of course, have an annual test carried out at their own expense.
What you should know about cancer screening
In order to reduce the number of cancer patients, the RKI recommends that young girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years vaccinate against cervical cancer should let. It is even recommended for boys because the virus is sexually transmitted and could also cause cancer in the genitals, anal region or oral cavity.
Vaccination is one of the health insurance benefits for girls and boys between the ages of 9 and 14. So ask your gynecologist if you have children of this age or if you are this age yourself.
Overall, gynecological cancer screening for women includes:
- the pap smear
- vaginal ultrasound and examination of the ovaries
- regular palpation of both breasts
You can also take part in an HPV test. This can be used to determine whether you are infected with HPV. This can also happen at a sexually active early age. If you are under the age of 35, ask your treating gynecologist about it.
There are some diseases that only affect women. You should have heard of these at least once:
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Sources: Netdoctor, car cancer information service, Federal Ministry of Health, Familie.de,
Image Credit: Getty Images/nortonrsx