Going to the gynecologist can often times be a scary thing.
However, it is a good thing to know ahead of time what to expect once you are there.
One gynecology problem is related to a pap smear.
If you get a call from your gynecologist saying you had an abnormal pap smear you may want to know more about what he/she is talking about.
HPV (Human Papilloma virus) is one of the most common causes of abnormal pap smears.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease but can go undetected for a long time without any symptoms.
HPV can cause abnormal cells on your cervix, If your pap smear came back abnormal don't be scared.
Depending on what type of abnormality you have, further treatment or screenings are necessary.
Early detection of abnormalities of your cervix can help you out a lot if treated properly.
Yearly pap tests are crucial in detecting abnormal cell changes before they turn into cancer.
Minor cell changes may only require a repeat pap smear in 6 months to 1 year.
Sometimes abnormal cells will clear on their own over time.
It is important to follow-up with repeat pap smears as recommended by your doctor in case the abnormalities do not become normal.
Some Abnormal Pap Smear Results:

• ASCUS (Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance)
• LGSIL (Low-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion)
• ASC-H (Atypical Squamous Cells: Cannot Exclude High-Grade SIL
• HGSIL (High-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion)
• AGC (Atypical Glandular Cells)
• Cervical Dysplasia

If an abnormal pap smear has more significant cell changes, like LGSIL or HGSIL, other procedures may need to be done.
A colposcopy and possible cervical biopsy may be recommended.
These procedures may be necessary in order to get a sample of the cell abnormality and evaluate.