Abnormal Pap Smear for Waxahachie, TX | Advanced Women's Healthcare of Waxahachie

Abnormal Pap Smear services offered in Waxahachie, TX

Pap smears identify early warning signs of cervical cancer, a condition diagnosed in more than 12,000 women a year. If you have abnormal Pap smear results, you can find help at Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie. Gregory Kroeger, MD, FACOG, and Tracy Glass, DO, FACOG, offer additional diagnostic testing services, including colposcopies and biopsies, to identify cancer, infections, and other conditions that cause abnormal results. Call the office in Waxahachie, Texas, to schedule follow-up testing for abnormal Pap smears or request an appointment online today.

Abnormal Pap Smear

What is a Pap smear?

A Pap smear is a procedure to test for precancerous cells on the cervix, which sits at the lower end of the uterus. The goal of a Pap smear is to identify abnormal cells in the cervix in the earliest stages when treatment is typically most effective at preventing progression to cervical cancer.

The providers at Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie offer routine Pap smears as part of your preventive care plan. During a pelvic exam, they collect a sample of cells from your cervix using a small brush. They send the sample to a medical lab for further testing.

What causes an abnormal Pap smear?

Abnormal Pap smear results can occur if you have human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus, that increases your risk for cervical cancer.

Your Pap smear results may also be abnormal because of:

Vaginal infections or inflammation
Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Vaginal atrophy (thinning of the vaginal tissue due to lack of estrogen)

Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie offers additional diagnostic testing services to identify what’s causing your abnormal Pap smear results.

What happens if I have an abnormal Pap smear?

If your Pap smear results are abnormal, the Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie providers may perform another Pap smear to ensure your results are accurate, or recommend further evaluation with colposcopy.

Colposcopy is a simple in-office procedure where the physician uses a microscope to better visualize and inspect the cervix and vagina closely for any cancerous or pre-cancerous changes. If you have any suspicious or abnormal findings, the physician can take a small sample of the tissue (biopsy) for a more definitive diagnosis.

Based on your colposcopy and biopsy results, the providers at Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie can create a care plan with you. Your treatment may involve a LEEP procedure to remove abnormal or pre-cancerous tissue from your cervix.

In cases where cancer is diagnosed, you will need a referral to a gynecologic oncologist to discuss chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery.

If you have concerns about an abnormal Pap smear, call Advanced Women’s Healthcare of Waxahachie or request an appointment online today.