does a pap test for stds

Best answer

Not designed to detect STDs

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A pap smear exam does not test or screen for any other kind of sexually transmitted disease or infection. A pap smear can not detect for herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or other common STDs and STIs. Additionally, it cannot detect ovarian or uterine cancers.

Pap smear tests identify precancerous cells on the cervix by taking a tissue sample from the cervix during a gynecological exam. Pap smears can detect certain strains of HPV that might cause abnormal cell growth and develop into cervical cancer.

Pap smears are not painful tests, although some women find that they feel pressure and slight discomfort. Light bleeding may occur following a Pap smear and is considered normal. There are hundreds of strains of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection.

If Pap test results are normal and cancerous cells are not found, women do not need to have another Pap smear done for three years unless their doctor discovers abnormalities during a well-woman鈥檚 exam that would warrant a Pap test to be done sooner.