You might have wondered why doctors are so persistent when it comes to your pap test and pelvic exam.  You might also have wondered why doctors don’t give you information and offer you a choice in the matter.  Here is some information about pap tests and pelvic exams that doctors rarely tell you:

Pap Tests – Undisclosed Information:  Pap tests detect abnormal cells on your cervix.  What doctors don’t tell you is that the results from a pap smear are often inaccurate (between 10 and 60% of pap smears are inaccurate) and will show a false positive for abnormal cells if you have recently had intercourse, taken a bath, used a tampon, or any number of such things.  An abnormal pap smear does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer, or that you are even at risk of cervical cancer.   ehealthmd.com/content/how-accurate-are-pap-smear-results

Cervical Cancer – Undisclosed Information:  Doctors also don’t want you to know how rare cervical cancer is.  Your odds of getting cervical cancer are 1 in 13,699 (in developed countries).  Your odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident each year are 1 in 6,535.  In other words, you are more than twice as likely to die in a car accident than you are of getting cervical cancer.  Also, the odds of getting cervical cancer are even lower if you are a young to middle aged woman. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2012001/article/11616/tbl/tbla-eng.htm

Extra Fees – Undisclosed Information:  Doctors are able to charge extra fees for pap smears.  Doctors don’t want you to know that they are making more money from your visit every time you agree to a pap test.  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/doctor/care/capitation.html

Bimanual Exams – Undisclosed Information:  Doctors perform a bimanual exam (insertion of fingers into the vagina) along with the speculum exam.  What doctors don’t want you to know is that there is no data to support the relevance of the bimanual exam.  Studies have shown that no abnormalities have ever been accurately detected by inserting fingers into a woman’s vagina. jwh.2010.2349 (application/pdf Object

Pleasure – Undisclosed Information:  Some doctors enjoy performing pelvic exams.  But do not take my word for this – read for yourself a male doctor’s point of view on pelvic exams: https://forwomenseyesonly.wordpress.com/2012/09/09/the-other-side-of-the-speculum-a-male-doctors-point-of-view/

Further Tests – Undisclosed Information:  Many women who receive a false positive pap smear result are sent for further and more invasive testing.  This leads to further income for medical professionals, but this is also where further damage to the cervix can occur from colposcopies and unnecessary biopsies; resulting in risk of heavy bleeding, infection, irreparable cervical mutilation, unnecessary hysterectomies, and difficulties with pregnancy and giving birth as the following evidence shows:

Based on solid evidence, regular screening with the Pap test leads to additional diagnostic procedures (e.g., colposcopy) and treatment for low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL), with long-term consequences for fertility and pregnancy. These harms are greatest for younger women, who have a higher prevalence of LSIL, lesions that often regress without treatment. Harms are also increased in younger women because they have a higher rate of false-positive results. Magnitude of Effect: Additional diagnostic procedures were performed in 50% of women undergoing regular Pap testing . . . The number with impaired fertility and pregnancy complications is unknown.  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/cervical/HealthProfessional/page1/AllPages#Section_133

So, as you can see, there are many good reasons why your doctor doesn’t want to offer you information and a choice regarding pelvic exams and pap tests.  Do your research, protect your healthy mind and body.