Pap smears

Mcsweets · August 2013

I went in for my 10w u/s today and they did a pap. I'm now bleeding - which they said was normal. They didn't really act like I had any choice to get one or not - and being this is my first pregnancy I just wanted to know if anyone else did a pap while pregnant? Are there any risks with it? He just scraped my cervix with a little plastic thing. He commented that my cervix was "mad" and would bleed... I just don't like it $:\$

FitMamaInProgress · August 2013

I had one yesterday but only bled one tiny spot. I did cramp through. I wasn't exactly given a choice either. But was finding it odd since I just had one a few months ago

bumpuser9058414 · August 2013

I had a pap with DD and it was fine. I had mine this time before getting pregnant and noticed some blood so I think it's really normal. The cervix is sensitive during pregnancy so unless it gets worse or bleeds for a while I wouldn't worry.

Shaq1009 · August 2013

I think that's pretty standard if you are a new patient or haven't had one recently.

StephBrim24 · August 2013

I just had one today since I was due. They just went ahead and did it while I was there. It's normal.

dmartin726 · August 2013

I just had one on Monday. I was due for it.

Nickiechan · August 2013

I got one done at my 9 week appointment... I was due this month for one, so I guess they did one while I was pregnant. I am trying to remember if I had one with DS... I think they did.

PeytonEliMama · August 2013

I've actually had a colposcopy done while pregnant (I had an irregular pap so they had to snip tissue from the cervix to take a closer look at the cells), and there were no issues. I was was 12 weeks pregnant at teh time.

KariB509 · August 2013

I had a PAP during my first appointment with #1 and just had one yesterday during my first appointment with #2. Bleeding is normal because your cervix is extra sensitive right now. I didn't bleed but man was it uncomfortable! They just do a PAP at the first visit to make sure everything is good, especially if you haven't had one in over a year or you're a new patient at their office. With #1, I was a new patient, and this time around it was time for my annual anyway.

erind0213 · August 2013

My paperwork says I will get one if I hadn't had one in the last year, which I think I did, last October, so I am not sure that I will get one.

I am not sure if at 9weeks 6days they do transvaginal or tummy ultrasounds... so I might get something shoved in me one way or another.

Mcsweets · August 2013

Ok awesome, the blood scared me - even though they said it was normal - never fun to see the red
:-SS

lincbeesmom · August 2013

Totally normal. I had one at my 6 week appt. she told me I bled a little too.

TradeMama · August 2013

I've had one at my first appointment for all of my pregnancies.

rossandamber2013 · August 2013

Yep...that's exactly how I remember it from my 1st.

IrishBaby1982 · August 2013

I had a blighted ovum about 2.5 years ago, but before I knew it was a non-viable pregnancy, they said they needed to do the pap smear, which led to bleeding, which then led to me freaking out...

With DS, the doctor said, "Okay, we will do the pap smear..." And, it took a lot of courage, but I just piped up and said, I don't want one during pregnancy. It makes you cramp and bleed sometimes which can lead to anxiety. So, he said okay and we did it after I had DS.

I just went for my first appointment a week or so ago and he mentioned the pap smear again (my last one was exactly a year ago in July) At the time, I didn't refuse, but when I go back on my next appointment I'm going to decline and tell him I would like to wait until after. It's just something I feel strongly about. Luckily, I 've never had an abnormal pap so why do it if I don't feel comfortable?

It's hard, but you should speak up if you really feel you want to wait. The cramping and bleeding that's caused can make you (or at least made me) feel anxious and nervous. No need for the stress:)

katykatykaty · August 2013

IrishBaby1982 said:

I had a blighted ovum about 2.5 years ago, but before I knew it was a non-viable pregnancy, they said they needed to do the pap smear, which led to bleeding, which then led to me freaking out...
With DS, the doctor said, "Okay, we will do the pap smear..." And, it took a lot of courage, but I just piped up and said, I don't want one during pregnancy. It makes you cramp and bleed sometimes which can lead to anxiety. So, he said okay and we did it after I had DS.
I just went for my first appointment a week or so ago and he mentioned the pap smear again (my last one was exactly a year ago in July) At the time, I didn't refuse, but when I go back on my next appointment I'm going to decline and tell him I would like to wait until after. It's just something I feel strongly about. Luckily, I 've never had an abnormal pap so why do it if I don't feel comfortable?
It's hard, but you should speak up if you really feel you want to wait. The cramping and bleeding that's caused can make you (or at least made me) feel anxious and nervous. No need for the stress:)

She already had it done. OP, as everyone has said, bleeding afterwards is totally normal even though it's scary.

BethRN1987 · August 2013

I flat out refused to have one seeing as it was July and I had one with my previous pregnancy in April. I was a new patient. I don't like paps at all.

JubilantSquirrel · August 2013

I had my first appointment last week and I had one as well. Although, it had been about 2 1/2 years since my last one. I didn't bleed but my Dr. did say that I might and that it's normal.

MrsS81112 · August 2013

I just had a pap done at the of June so they are not requiring me to get one. Yay! Lucky me. The blood would have probably freaked me out too, but I sometimes spot after a regular pap.

jwls84 · August 2013

It's standard to get one for your prenatal appointment. I told my doctor at my annual we were planning on trying this summer. My appointment was June, so she just did it then because she doesn't like doing them when a woman is pregnant due to spotting.

BabiesFTW · August 2013

I did with my last pregnancy. It's good to check that you're healthy. The bleeding should stop soon. It's normal.

Gemcc · August 2013

I was surprised to see you guys get this done in pregnancy. In the UK we don't do them in pregnancy as cells can act differently due to the pregnancy and because of the possibility of bleeding. The advice if you are due one is to wait until 6 weeks after the birth. Do you have to pay more to have this test done? It seems there's a lot more tests and scans generally in the US than here.

Mcsweets · August 2013

@Gemcc I'm not really sure how much it costs - I will know once it goes through insurance - it did seem less "thorough" than my normal pap. Normally they take a couple swabs, but the dr was just in and out - I think just doing the bare minimum.

Gemcc · August 2013

Thanks for replying. It's so interesting to hear how different some stuff is depending on where you are but ultimately everyone's hopes/fears etc are the same wherever you are! As everyone else has said though, I'm sure what you're experiencing is normal and it will ease up soon x

Mcsweets · August 2013

Hey everyone! I just wanted to update in case someone reads this later ... the bleeding quickly turned to brown (seemed like a lot of it, but still mostly only when I wiped) and then gradually went away - this morning it is still there, but very minimal - DH said he could hardly see it when I showed him. SO I think all is well

amandoza23 · August 2013

I had one at my first OB appointment. She said they normally do them during all first appointments just to make sure everything is normal. I've never bled from a pap but it sure hurt more than normal

farmfanatik · August 2013

Its a standard test but you can absolutely refuse if you want to. I realize the OP already had it done, this is more for whoever else is reading. They were going to do one at my first visit when I was pregnant with DS, but I told them I'd rather not have it done. They didn't have any issues with that and I had it done at my pp checkup after DS was born. I had my first visit for this pregnancy yesterday and it wasn't an issue this time because I had just had it done in February.

Having a pap during pregnancy carries a very very very small risk of miscarriage. Like 1% or less. As pp have said, its mostly just really uncomfortable. My feelings on it are that if you have regular pap exams and have never had an abnormal one, theres not much point to having one during pregnancy. Basically my point is, theres not much to stress about if you do get one but if you don't want one don't be afraid to say so. Chances are your doctor won't even bat an eye about it.

LiFeIsAmIrAcLe · August 2013

I had my first prenatal appointment today. I told her my last pap was in February and she said since baby is due in March (and I'll be due for one a month before I give birth) that she wanted to just go ahead and get another one out of the way so I won't be due for another till next August.

Hrose7091 · August 2013

Yea they always do a pap... Nothing to worry about.

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