If you feel pretty damn proud of yourself for scheduling a Pap smear or pelvic exam, we don’t blame you. This kind of preventive care is incredibly important but also easy to put off or cut from your ...

A well-woman exam—also known as a women’s wellness exam—is a routine checkup with a women’s health provider. It’s an opportunity to check your overall health and discuss your health risks, especially ...

More than 13,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive cervical cancer this year A routine pap exam can help women lower their risk of developing cervical cancer It's important to ...

Although you can get a Pap smear during your menstrual period, some doctors may prefer you do not. A heavy flow may alter your exam results. If in doubt, it’s better to ask your OB-GYN, but try not to ...

I was 23 when I had my first pap smear, and I didn’t even know what the procedure tested for. I was 23 when I had my first pap smear, and I didn’t even know what the procedure tested for. While out ...

Annalisa (Nalis) Merelli is a contributing writer at STAT focused on boys’ and men’s health. Pap smears must be a strong contender for the worst best thing to happen to gynecology. The test, alongside ...

Back in May of this year, the FDA approved a new method of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing in a healthcare setting. Rather than a standard Pap smear performed with a speculum -- a test dreaded by ...

Claire Gillespie is an experienced health and wellness writer. Her work appears across several publications including SELF, Women’s Health, Health, Vice, Headspace, and The Washington Post. A Pap ...