Pap smear during a m/c?

rhiamon · April 2010

I was just wondering if anyone else has had this experience. About a year ago, I found out I was pregnant. Three days later, I started having a miscarriage (bleeding, horrible horrible cramps, etc.). I was already pretty certain that it was an m/c, but I wanted to go to the doc to make sure.

This happened while I was living in Austin (2 years total), and I hadn't gone to see an OB GYN since I moved there. As soon as I found out I was preggers, I talked to a girlfriend of mine and got the name and number of her doctor. On the morning of the m/c, I called the office and let them know what was going on. They wanted me to come on in so they could take a look. The doc my friend had recommended wasn't available, so I got stuck with some other chick.

By the time the doc actually saw me, I was in absolute agony and I had no doubt that it was going to be an m/c. Well, she gets me up on the table and asks me when my last pap smear was, and I told her it had been a couple of years. So, she decides that there's no time like the present and gets out the scrapy thing, and precedes to take a pap smear sample. In the middle of a miscarriage. It was god-awful painful - I was squeezing hubby's hand for dear life, and very close to tears.

I was thinking about this today, and it made me wonder - is this NORMAL in cases when the woman is overdue on her pap smear, or was this woman just a cruel ***? Have any of you had this happen, or heard of it happening? I guess it's on my mind because I am going back to the doc today (a different one, thank god, and one I've seen before), and I'm feeling a little paranoid that they'll try to do it again (the m/c from last year was the last pap smear I had - so I'm about a month overdue).

EntropicEpona · April 2010

Oh gosh, a Pap during pregnancy? OK, fine. Done all the time. But during a miscarriage?! I've never heard of that, and seems like total bullsh!t.

If your doctor today wants to do one, and you're too close for comfort to your m/c, ask them to reschedule. There's no need to add insult to injury.

EntropicEpona · April 2010

Sorry, I just realized you're going to the doctor today because you suspect you're having a miscarriage. I'm so sorry about that.

Still, they'll likely do an internal exam just to see if they can discern the cause of your bleeding, but you can still ask them not to do a Pap. You can make another appointment for one later, but today will be stressful enough.

So sorry.

magdalina.h · April 2010

I had a pap at my first ob appointment in Sept. When I went back for my 6 wk pp check up she wanted to do another one until I reminded her that I had one in Sept.

*Chicken* · April 2010

I don't think having a pap done while you are pregnant isn't a big deal because they are scraping the outside of your cervix.

Since you should not go in for a pap while you are on your period because it could come back abnormal i would think the same rule applies if you are m/c especially if you are bleeding.

You don't have to have a pap done if you don't want one so if they mention it tell them you'd prefer to wait.

rhiamon · April 2010

There is no way I'm doing that again. I don't know if that could make a pap come back abnormal (mine didn't), I just know that it was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life.

I already decided that if the scrapy thing comes today, I'm kicking the doctor in the face! (ok, maybe not literally LOL)

Sharon&Paul · April 2010

It definitely could be done during a m/c. The only reason it is not done during your period is the blood obscures the view of the cells, not that it changes your cells at all. The results will come back unable to read due to blood and it will need to be repeated.

However, it does not have to be done during a m/c. If you are uncomfortable with it, just let them know and schedule it for a later date. Some people would prefer to have it all done at once so they did not need to go back and others would prefer another appt.

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