Giving Your Cervix a Fighting Chance: The Pap Smear Solution


The main purpose of the Pap test is to detect cancer or abnormal cells that may lead to cancer.  A Pap test can find the earliest signs of cervical cancer—when detected early the chance of curing cervical cancer is very high!!! The American Cancer Society recommends getting a Pap test if you are 21 years or older or if you're having sex! Women over age 65 who have had 3 normal Pap tests, in a row and no abnormal test results in the last 10 years, maybe be told by their doctors that they don't need to be tested anymore.
So what's a cervix?  

The cervix is one of the smallest, yet most important parts of the female body.  The cervix is what dialates during childbirth and is essential to keep a baby inside the uterus during pregancy; in other words WE NEED OUR CERVIX ladies! During a Pap Smear the cervix is GENTLY scraped in order to have cells to test for cancer.  Getting cervical cells tested once a year is the best way to kill your fear of cervical cancer.

What to expect during your Pap Smear? 

 It's simple and quick!!!

1. Lie on an exam table while the doctor inserts an instrument called a speculum into your vagina to open it to see the cervix. 
2. He or she will then use a special stick or brush to take a few cells from inside and around the cervix. 
3. The cells are placed on a glass slide and sent to a lab for examination. 

*Note: While the Pap test is usually painless, a Pap test may be a bit uncomfortable for some women.

One last thing: The Don'ts Before Your Pap!

Doctors suggest NOT...

• Douching
• Using tampons
• Using vaginal creams and medications
• Using vaginal deodorant sprays or powders
• Swim
• Take a bath
• And sorry ladies, HAVING SEX!

Sources:

http://womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/pap-test.cfm#b

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/womens-health/pap-tests-hpv-tests-19875.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/what_cdc_is_doing/index.htm

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForWomen/ucm118553.htm

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CervicalCancer/DetailedGuide/cervical-cancer-prevention

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/Pap-test

Women HIV&STDs

According to the CDC, each year an average of 24,000 women contract an STD (sexually transmitted disease) that is undetected or untreated (CDC, 2011).  Untreated STDs can lead to the inability for women to get pregnant later in life. For women STDs are more serious and create more complications such as Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, tubal pregnancies and long-lasting pelvic pain.  

Although the highest age group at risk for STDs are 15-24 years old, older women should NOT ignore safe sex practices.  Many of our older followers begin to ignore safe sex practices because the fear of getting pregnant is reduced.  However, in 2008 women ages 50 and older made up 15% of all new cases of HIV, and accounted for 35% of deaths from AIDS (CDC, 2008).

Our job as Proactive Women is to protect our selves from HIV and STDs before they occur we need to teach our mothers, daughters, and friends to take safe measures as well.  The best tool for protection against any STD since the 1920s is still the condom.  This pocket sized protection can keep us from ever having a "good time" threaten a great life! Sex can still be pleasurable and its even better when medications or infertility are not its aftermath.  Encourage your partner to use a condom or tell him, "all bets are OFF!!!"  If your more of the dominant type bring your own condom.  If your guy wants it that bad he wont decline.  Make condom use about your protection and pleasure.

Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats10/trends2010.pdf
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/over50/resources/factsheets/pdf/over50.pdf  

Got Breast???

For many of us since about the age 13 we've come to terms with having breast. As we get older the focus becomes more about the health of our breast and less about the lastest Victoria Secret innovation.  

Prior to the age of 50 or 40 depending on your physician's recommendations, many of us rely on Self Breast Exams (SBE) or an annual Clinical Breast Exam (CBE) to notice any changes or developments in our breast.  A more thorough examination of the breast involves an Xray procedure called a mammogram.   A proactive woman greatly benefits from getting a mammograms regularly.   To be proactive in getting your mammograms we should follow the CDC's recommendation to get a mammogram once every two years.  According to the American Cancer Society, detecting breast cancer in its early stages can lead to a significantly higher survival rate and a greater range of treatment options (ACS, 2012).   Rates for breast cancer distribution are only slightly different among racial groups, which means all women should get mammograms. 

 Table Source: SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 2011

Many women are nervous about getting their first mammogram due to fear of pain or finding "something", whether it be cancerous or non-cancerous.  To ease your worries a video has been provided to give you a sense of what what to expect during your first mammorgram.  

Sources:

• http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-030975.pdf
• http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast.html
• http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/screening.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-GmNmPeqHQ