hey everyone i had a pap smear okay


I totally had a pap smear today! If you are a lady and you haven't had one for two years or more, you need to go have one too. (Two years is the recommended frequency in Australia, it may be different in your country.)

From the Australian National Cervical Screening Program website:

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and curable of all cancers. It is the eighteenth most common cause of cancer mortality in Australian women, dropping from eighth place since the introduction of the Program.

All women who have ever had sex need to have regular Pap smears, including those who no longer have sex. Women should have their first Pap smear around age 18 to 20 or a year or two after first having sex, whichever is the later and to continue throughout their life until age 70.

Women who have any unusual symptoms, such as unexpected bleeding, discharge or pain, should see their general practitioner, even if their last Pap smear was normal.

A Pap smear every two years can prevent the most common form of cervical cancer in up to 90% of cases and is the best protection against cervical cancer.