From year to year, doctors repeat the same recommendation, but our women ignore it with inexplicable persistence. Once a year, every representative of the fair sex should visit the gynecologist’s office, even if at that moment she is absolutely not worried about anything. Believe me, there are many reasons for this: to detect inflammation in time, check for infections in a timely manner, and choose the most reliable contraception for yourself. And each such visit involves taking tests. What kind of smears do gynecologists take? What do they find out with their help? And how to prepare for the analysis?
At first, a little about the microflora of the female organs, it is with her the first smear associated with the gynecologist. The vagina of a healthy woman, like the rest of the environment of our body, is populated by many microbes, and they create a normal microflora in it. Basically, there are lactobacilli - bacteria that support the acidic environment inside the body, and it, in turn, inhibits the growth of all pathogenic bacteria. Also, in a healthy patient, a small amount of candida fungi, streptococci, staphylococci and ureaplasmas can be detected. If a woman has a gynecological disease (this also applies to diseases that are sexually transmitted), then the microflora of the vagina changes. And by the nature of the changes, the specialist determines the cause of the disease.
A gynecologist's smear on the flora is exactly what the analysis is called, which is taken from the vagina and two channels: the urethra and the cervix. This is done to determine the balance of flora, the number of leukocytes and the detection of diseases. How is a smear taken from a gynecologist? For this, special tampons are used, obtaining an analysis usually takes place painlessly, discomfort can occur only when the tampon comes in contact with the cervix. The collected secretions are applied to special glasses and sent to the laboratory. Usually the result is ready in a few hours or 1-3 days.
A gynecologist's smear for cytology, the presence of atypical cells, a pap test - all this is a Pap smear. This analysis takes first place in gynecology among preventive tests. With its help, an assessment is made of the structure of the cells of the cervix and a diagnosis of cancer is carried out. It is also used to detect the malignant papilloma virus in women after thirty years of age. If this test in a patient reveals dysplasia (the presence of uncharacteristic cells), then an examination of the cervix under a microscope (colposcopy) is prescribed.
In order for any smear from a gynecologist to give a reliable result, several conditions must be observed. A couple of days before the examination should refrain from sexual intercourse, any means of intimate hygiene and douching. The use of tablets, vaginal suppositories should be abandoned in a week, their use is possible only by agreement with the doctor. In the evening, before the examination, you should wash yourself with one warm water, in the morning you do not need to do this at all. Analyzes are done a few days before menstruation or in the first few days after it ends. If it began on the day scheduled for the examination, then the visit to the doctor should be rescheduled. As you can see, there are no impracticable conditions here, but they must be adhered to in order to avoid false results, and therefore repeated examinations.