Updated on May 8, 2023.
The Pap test, a cancer screening that looks for atypical cells in your cervix, has saved countless lives over the past decades. But do you really need one every year? Experts now say that many people can safely slash the number of Pap tests they get.
If you’re between 21 and 65, you can now wait three years between Pap tests, according to updated guidelines from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Screening every three years starting at 21 saves the same number of lives as annual screening, according to the USPSTF.
You can get a Pap test even less often—once every five years—if you’re between 30 and 65 and you get both the Pap test and the human papillomavirus (HPV) test at the same time. HPV is the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) supports the Task Force’s recommendations, noting that women who are 30 or older who have had a normal Pap test result have a very low risk of getting cervical cancer in the next few years. The Task Force does not recommend HPV screening in women under 30; people in this age group are prone to HPV infections but their bodies typically clear the infection without longer term health issues.
If you’re younger than 21, the Task Force recommends against cervical cancer screening because it doesn’t appear to lower the number of cases or save lives. Also, the USPSTF advises that women 65 and older with a history of normal Pap test results and women who have had a hysterectomy with the removal of the cervix can stop screening.
Though it may seem like more screenings can catch more cancers, there are some risks to testing too frequently: According to the Task Force, the updated guidelines will cut down on the number of colposcopies (an examination of the cervix using a magnifying tool, during which a tissue sample is taken) and false-positive results.
Even if you don’t need a Pap test, however, you should still see your GYN for an annual checkup. Your provider will still check your blood pressure, give you a breast, abdominal, and pelvic exam, and discuss any health concerns you have.
And while you're waiting for your next Pap, remember that there are other steps you can take to prevent cervical cancer, such as practicing safe sex, limiting the number of sex partners you have, and quitting smoking.
