Before Your Visit
If possible, schedule your Pap smear for a day when you are not on your period. Your physician may also advise avoiding intercourse, douching, or vaginal products for a day or two beforehand.
Patient Information
A Pap smear is a quick, simple test that can catch cervical changes years before they become cancer. Here is what to expect, in plain language.
The Basics
A Pap smear (also called a Pap test) is a screening test that checks the cells of the cervix for early changes. During a short visit, your physician gently collects a small sample of cells, which is then sent to our laboratory to be processed and screened by qualified cytology professionals.
Cervical cancer develops slowly, often over many years. That is exactly why screening works: regular Pap smears can find changes early, when they are easiest to treat.
Why It Matters
Cervical cancer is largely preventable through education, HPV vaccination, and regular Pap smear screening. Many women who develop cervical cancer had not been screened regularly.
A few minutes at your doctor's office, once in a while, is one of the most powerful things you can do for your long-term health. That is the heart of our motto: Saving Lives Through Early Detection.
Preparing for Your Test
If possible, schedule your Pap smear for a day when you are not on your period. Your physician may also advise avoiding intercourse, douching, or vaginal products for a day or two beforehand.
The collection itself takes only a few minutes at your physician's office. You may feel brief pressure or mild discomfort, and then it is done.
Your sample comes to our laboratory to be processed and screened. Your physician receives the result and will contact you to discuss it and any next steps.
Common Questions
In most cases, no. Your Pap smear sample is collected by your own physician or clinic, and they send it to us. If you have been advised to visit the laboratory directly, call us first at (242) 326-0672 and we will guide you.
Yes. Specimens are submitted to the laboratory by physicians and clinics. Your doctor collects your sample, sends it to us with a requisition form, and receives your result.
Your results are reported to your referring physician, who will discuss them with you. The laboratory does not release results directly to patients through this website or over email.
Screening frequency depends on your age, history, and previous results. Your physician will recommend the schedule that is right for you. The most important thing is not to skip screening altogether.
Most women describe the collection as brief and only mildly uncomfortable. It takes just a few minutes at your physician's office.
Yes. Neoplastic Cytology Laboratory is approved under the National Health Insurance programme. Ask your physician or call us if you have questions about coverage.
This page is general information only and is not medical advice. Always speak with your physician about your own screening schedule, symptoms, or results.
Call the laboratory and we will point you in the right direction, or speak with your physician about booking your Pap smear.