Sex after the pap smear, is it okay to do it or not?

The Pap smear is a mandatory screening test for women in adulthood, especially when you are married or are sexually active. There are several things you can and should not do before or after the pap smear, one of which is having sex. As a rule, you are required not to have sex the day before. However, if you have a pap smear, can you make love with your partner again? Here's the answer.

What is a pap smear?

Before you know when it is permissible to have sex after a pap smear, it is better to know an explanation of this test for women first. A Pap smear is a test that is done to look for changes in the cells of the cervix (cervix) that can show symptoms of cervical cancer or cervical cancer.

During the test, a small instrument will be inserted into your vagina. It aims to take a small sample of cells on the surface of the cervix. The sample is then spread on a slide (Pap smear) or mixed in a liquid fixative (liquid-based cytology).

Then the sample will be sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope. Cells are checked for abnormalities that may indicate abnormal cell changes, such as dysplasia or cervical cancer.

In addition, a pap smear is usually done at the same time as a pelvic exam. All women are advised to have a pap smear at the age of 21. This Pap test is done to detect early cervical cancer. Women 21-29 years of age are recommended to have this test every three years, without testing Human papillomavirus (HPV).

Then, is it okay to have sex after the pap smear?

Having sex after the pap smear is fine. However, this is true when no vaginal health conditions have occurred after the pap test, such as bleeding. Vaginal bleeding after sex is normal and common. This is not necessarily caused by the pap smear itself.

However, if you do experience bleeding after the test, it's a good idea not to have sex first. During bleeding after the test, use a bandage. It's also important to avoid using tampons, having sex, or swimming.

If the bleeding after the test continues and gets worse, contact your doctor immediately.

In addition, sex after the pap smear is not recommended if before the pap smear you already experienced symptoms and suspected certain venereal diseases. To prevent transmission of venereal diseases, you should wait until the results of your pap smear come out.

Pay attention to the following things before doing a pap smear

There are not many things that are prohibited after having a pap smear. It also takes into account your health condition after having a Pap test. However, it's a good idea to pay attention to a few things that you have to prepare before doing a pap smear. This is useful for maximizing the accuracy of the test results. These are:

Do not have sex two days before the pap smear.
Do not clean the vagina with douche or feminine soap two days before the pap smear. Just clean your vagina with warm water.
Avoid vaginal contraceptives such as foams, creams, or jellies that are placed in the vagina two days before the pap smear.
Also avoid using medicines for the vagina (unless prescribed by your doctor) two days before the pap smear.
Empty your bladder before having a pap smear.

You should also tell your doctor before having a pap smear if you:

Are taking drugs, such as birth control pills that contain estrogen or progestin. Certain medications can affect test results.
Have had a pap smear before and the results are not normal.
You are pregnant.