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Your Cervical Health Awareness! Reasons To Get Checked and Sentiments From The Stirrups
This is a sponsored conversation written by me with support from Hologic, Inc. The opinions and text are all mine.
As women, we learn early on that the idea of extreme privacy goes out the window when we get our first Pap test lol. Getting your regular Pap isn’t always the most comfortable feeling but it’s definitely a necessary course of action. In fact, it’s not too far fetched to say that preparing for a Pap is almost like preparing for a hot date. You know what I’m talking about ladies, the Pap test preparation check list; step 1: shave/wax legs, step 2: schedule a brazilian, step 3: set pap appointment within an hour of shower time LOL… the list can go on.
You’re not alone ladies, surveys show that 7 in 10 women specifically shave and wax for their GYN exam. In fact, around 1 in 10 (7%) women have specifically gotten a bikini or Brazilian wax for their GYN exam. I remember my last GYN appointment, I spoke to the doctor and gave her the heads up that I’d been on strike with shaving my legs because it was winter LOL. She laughed but there’s always thoughts that run through your head, aka “sentiments from the stirrups“. For many of us, not even our significant others have seen the most intimate parts of us in such close proximity. When I was in the stirrups recently, I joked with my doctor during my exam that it was the closest I’d been to 3rd base or a home run in ages, LOL. Studies show that among women in their 30s, 61 percent think about their sex life during their GYN exam, but only 42 percent bring it up. Women are 26% more likely to talk about the weather than their sex life. So, these nerves are justified but once again getting your regular Pap test is still a necessary thing to do.
During my last GYN exam, I got a full battery of testing done and one of the newer tests that were done was the HPV test. Getting tested for HIV, Hepatitis, etc has become second nature, but for many of us HPV testing is still unheard of. I was amazed to find out that doctors only start to recommend getting tested for it once you turn 30. Experts recommend that women 30-65 receive Pap+HPV when getting screened for cervical cancer. For women 21-29, they recommend just a Pap test. This is important to know because, if your doctor hasn’t done an HPV test yet… you should ask for it and discuss it. Getting screened for cervical cancer with Pap+HPV can lead to early detection and save women’s lives. This month is Cervical Health Awareness Month and a great reminder that we need to be informed and proactive about our health. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in the U.S. thanks largely to screening with the Pap test and the HPV test. It’s a NEW YEAR and fantastic time to make great habits. Resolutions are easily broke, so let’s make better health choices a new life goal.
Got any of your own “Sentiments From The Stirrups”? Don’t be shy, feel free to share below.
Don’t forget to
Talk about Pap+HPV at your next GYN exam!
To learn more about cervical cancer screening, visit HealthyWomen.org
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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hologic. The opinions and text are all mine.
