Why abnormal pap smear

Once abnormal cells are identified, your doctor performs a biopsy, taking a small amount of tissue for testing. Then, your cells are off to the lab for analysis. When your colposcopy is complete and your biopsy results are finalized, your doctor will explain the changes in your tissue sample. Sometimes, those changes are low-grade. This means you can watch and wait. Low-grade cervical changes are unlikely to become cervical cancer. If the changes are moderate- to high-grade, your doctor will evaluate more options.

These infections can be treated. In women who have been through menopause, a Pap test may find cell changes that are just the result of getting older. Certain sexual behaviors, like having sex without condoms and having more than one sex partner or having a sex partner who has other partners , can increase your risk for getting HPV. And HPV raises your risk for having an abnormal pap test. HPV can stay in your body for many years without your knowing it.

So even if you now have just one partner and practice safer sex, you could still have an abnormal Pap test if you were exposed to HPV in the past. Smoking or having an impaired immune system also raises your chances of having cell changes in your cervix. The cell changes themselves don't cause symptoms. HPV, which causes most abnormal Pap tests, usually doesn't cause symptoms either. If a different sexually transmitted infection is the cause of your abnormal test, you may have symptoms such as:.

You may need more tests to find out if you have an infection or to find out how severe the cell changes are. For example, you may need:. A colposcopy is usually done before any treatment is given. During a colposcopy, the doctor also takes a small sample of tissue from the cervix so that it can be looked at under a microscope. This is called a biopsy. Treatment, if any, will depend on whether your abnormal cell changes are mild, moderate, or severe. In moderate to severe cases, you may have treatment to destroy or remove the abnormal cells.

Most abnormal Pap tests are caused by HPV infections. Other types of infection—such as those caused by bacteria, yeast, or protozoa Trichomonas —sometimes lead to minor changes on a Pap test called atypical squamous cells.

Natural cell changes that may happen during and after menopause can also cause an abnormal Pap test. Certain sexual behaviors —such as having sex without condoms and having more than one sex partner—increase your risk of getting an HPV infection.

And an HPV infection raises your risk for having abnormal test results. Lab specialists label abnormal cells according to how abnormal they are—how different they are from normal cells. Knowing what type of abnormal cells you have helps your doctor decide on treatment.

Minor cell changes may disappear without treatment. But sometimes they turn into more serious cell changes. Types of minor cell changes are:. In some countries, other labeling systems are used.

These systems may use the term dysplasia to describe cervical cell changes. Or they may simply describe the changes as mild, moderate, or severe. When your Pap test result is abnormal, you always need to follow up with your doctor. Often this just means having regular checkups and Pap tests. But sometimes it means more tests or treatment. Most women won't need special testing or treatment.

Instead, they'll follow a schedule of regular Pap tests to watch for cell changes. This is called watchful waiting. It may be recommended when:. It's okay to do nothing but watch and wait, because minor cell changes such as ASC-US or LSIL don't usually become more severe during a short period of watchful waiting.

Watchful waiting may not be a good choice if you don't think you'll be able to follow your doctor's recommendations about having regular Pap tests. Talk with your doctor about your testing choices. After an abnormal Pap test, you may need more tests to look for infection or to find out more about your cell changes.

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