A lot of people will give me crap for this! -Pap smear refusal

[Phexia]

Over here, pregnant women never get pap smears while they're pregnant, it's not allowed. We do get routine blood tests in our first visit to the midwife and each visit we pee in a cup to test for protein and glucose in the urine (we do the test ourselves in the bathroom and just bring the stick to the midwife if it's abnormal)

I wouldn't want a pap smear early in my pregnancy, no way.

 

[lauren-kate]

Obviously, it is your decision, but I do doubt that they would do tests for no reason if the risks outweighed the possibility of finding a potentially life-threatening illness/birth defect/etc. They aren't scare tactics, they're not doing it to scare you... it's done to make sure everything is fine with you and baby. Personally, I'd rather have a 5 mins exam and know that everything is ok, or be prepared/treated when it is not. If I was offered the exam and didn't have it and something bad happened that could have been prevented, I'd feel awful. It's inevitable that you're going to have people 'poking around' at some point (quite a lot really) and you really do just get used to dropping your trousers and flashing your bits! It's not very dignified, but it has to be done. Call me brainwashed, but that's just my opinion, and obviously you're entitled to yours. x

 

[Linzi]

I wont have a go at you. Its every womans right to turn down a test like that if you dont feel comfortable with it. I turned one down when they wanted to feel my womb at 11 weeks because I was having a scan the day after, she said it would be quite painful and Id bleed, so I thought as long as Im having the scan they should pick problems up from that.

its your choice at the end of the day, if you dont want it, then dont have it.

xxx

 

[leeanne]

Obviously, it is your decision, but I do doubt that they would do tests for no reason if the risks outweighed the possibility of finding a potentially life-threatening illness/birth defect/etc. They aren't scare tactics, they're not doing it to scare you... it's done to make sure everything is fine with you and baby. Personally, I'd rather have a 5 mins exam and know that everything is ok, or be prepared/treated when it is not. If I was offered the exam and didn't have it and something bad happened that could have been prevented, I'd feel awful. It's inevitable that you're going to have people 'poking around' at some point (quite a lot really) and you really do just get used to dropping your trousers and flashing your bits! It's not very dignified, but it has to be done. Call me brainwashed, but that's just my opinion, and obviously you're entitled to yours. x

Yes, I hate to say this, but all modesty goes out the window when one is pregnant and/or going through child birth. A pap smear is really nothing compared to the rest!

I agree with you, I'd rather go through the 5 minute pap smear and know that everything is ok. My mom had ovarian cancer in her 20's and ended up having a hysterectomy. I had precancerous cells on my cervix quite awhile back and they can come back at any time.

Truly, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Margerle]

I agree with the women here who believe the initial pap is for the greater good. There's a lot of things that can be detected and information gathered on that first visit, and like the others have mentioned, the HCP isn't going to do something that is going to risk your chances of delivering ESPECIALLY if they are profit motivated. Would they rather have your (the insurance company's) $200 for the pap visit - or nine months of visits and your birth!

Now with that said, I tend to have a similar opinion as the OP when it comes to BIRTHING. I DO think that is often times business motivated, rather than motivated by the wellbeing of the mother and child. As evidenced merely by the insane C-section rate here in the US.

I've heard a lot about the movie The Business of Being Born https://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com/ it is a documentary on birthing a baby in the US. The stats are atrocious. Many of the L&D staff had never even seen an entirely natural birth. There are a lot of places that push pitocin or other "timely" methods to get that baby out ASAP when that isn't always nature's course. And obviously the trailer suggests that docs are pusing c-sections because they are doctor friendly... regardless of mom and baby friendly.

I understand that there are some times when advancements are necessary to help things along and I am certainly not against c-sections when needed but L&D IS and natural process! I want to let my body do what is natural and right for it. I've heard nothing but good about that documentary, so if you have a chance to see it, it comes highly recommended.

 

[honeybunch2k7]

I'm not mad at you. I hate those *expletive* exams!

 

[Samantha675]

Firstly I think for your first post on this board you are being very defensive, like you are looking for someone to argue with you and tell you how very wrong you are. Well you will not find that here, this is a very open community, and I have found it to be very non judgemental.

Having said that, why even bother with a Dr. if you are so against the brainwashing of the American medical system? I opted out at the very beginning of my pregnancy, have found an amazing midwife, and was even send a certified letter by my Gyno that dumped me from her service because of my alternative choice. The only time I will set foot in a Dr's office during my pregnancy is for the one and only ultrasound scan I get through my midwife.

I think opting out of any testing is totally your own choice, and no one should judge you for it. I did have a pap at the beginning of my pregnancy, my midwife performed it, and I have to admit, it was the most gentle exam I have ever had. I have even decided that my future women's care will be in her hands. I opted out of the triple screen tests, some people would think I am nuts for that.

Oh and I am dying to see the Business of Birthing. After reading Misconceptions by Natalie Wolfe, I think it is going to be very good.

 

[Jenny]

I agree with most of the girls pro pap smear testing. Its your choice and if you don't want to then you don't have to. Freedom of choice . I just like having the piece of mind that everything is ok down there. Its once a year and it takes all of 2 mins, so I really don't see a problem. As for getting one during pregnancy, I think it should be done. Plus, you can't always avoid situations like I.E if you're bleeding, they will check you and you can't avoid it. Unless of course, you don't go in. Not to mention that when you reach the 3rd trimester and labor, they will be checking down there, depending on where you are, at least once. Its not comfy but hey, needs to be done


BTW: Welcome to BnB!! Congrats on your pregnancy!

 

[clairebear]

living in the uk i havent had one ever even before being pregnant they dont do them until ur 25 over here xxx

 

[lauren-kate]

I think you can ask to have one sooner if you like, and they sometimes recommend them to you for after the pregnancy. x

 

[Linzi]

Yep my doctor asked me if I wasnted one when I was 18 and on the pill. Apparently the new rule is when you're sexually active, but obvs you know that better than your doctor so you should make the first move. I think if they haven't heard anything by the time you're 25 then they contact you.

xxx

 

[PINKDIAMOND]

Nah!! dont take the pap smear!! Its well too risky! Ive all ready been warned off my aunty not to have any internal examinations what so ever when pregnant because when she was pregnant she had an internal scan and as soon as she went home she started bleeding which led to a misscarriage. I was worried about this happening to me so discussed things over with my doctor and she told me that there should not be any need for any doctor to be examining me down there. She also told me if the doctors at the hospital want to give me an internal then i should refuse it because there is no need for this to be done in the first place and she doesnt understand why other doctors do that.
Anyway i know i will be refuseing!!.
PINKDIAMOND

 

[Madwolf3]

My personal response to those talking about the responsibility of getting the paps in order to make sure everything is normal (no STDs or cancer) is that I have regular paps every year. I understand the purpose of checking cells for cancer, but I don't need to be checked for STDs as it's been done ENOUGH already! All I'm personally saying is that if I'm up on my paps then there absolutely no need to have one while pregnant. Plus, I'm not having a vaginal birth anyway. Just wanted to clarify!

 

[Sarah88]

In aus, we get pap smears every 2yrs after 18 or when ur sexually active. I'm actually due for one now, but now after reading this I think i might just wait til afterwards to get it done. I'm really worried that i'll have a miscarriage- my mum had 2. And I don't want anything to jeopardise my child.

 

[Artifex]

Wow, thanks for all the responces. I did expect some disagreements however I expected far more of them and the whole of it is all good points for consideration. when I said 'brainwashed 'I was refering to was the attitude that "well if the Dr. says you should do something you should just do it without asking why or seeing if it is done differently somewhere else"; and the truth is, it doesn't seem a lot of people question it they just go with it on the assumption that it is correct. Even if it is correct for the most part I think that it is always good to check out anything (especially during pregnancy) that is irking you till you feel confident. I may chang my mind or wait till 36 weeks when I know that baby could survive if they do screw up or I have a bad reaction. This has been interesting.
-J.

 

[BurtonBaby]

This post just reminded me of my sister who argues with me every time we start talking politics...

I personally think that if the risks outweighed the benefits, doctors would not perform the exam. I've had paps since I was 16, yearly. Never had an abnormal one. Been with my DH for 4 1/2 years, we havent had any other partners, so no risk of STD... But I still get tested every year to be safe. I had a pap at 10 weeks, and it was normal, like usual. Little one was fine, and the pregnancy has progressed normally.

 

[Tam]

It is very intersting to see how different countries work:

Over here in the UK they do not do smears whilst pregnant unless you had an abnormal smear just before pregnancy. If there was abnornmal cells in this instance you would have a colposcopy, and again at 6 months pregnant to check the changes .

Every one is entitled to their opion and beliefs and at the end of the day the decision is up to the inidividual. x

 

[lauren-kate]

On a side note:

OP, I don't think anyone here would 'give you crap' for refusing a PAP smear as that is absolutely YOUR decision.
I think it's great that you can discuss whatever you like on this board without people immediately jumping down each others' throats just because they have a different opinion. It's so good that you can just come on here to DISCUSS things, rather than have a huge ranting argument with each other as very often happens on other boards - when people will often 'take sides' and start flaming each other. On those boards, I'm often afraid to post what I think for fear of getting abuse for it. Anyway... I must be feeling a bit emotional and sentimental today, so there you go x

 

[captain-ally]

My mom was all freaked out about me getting one. She doesn't understand why they'd be doing one when I'm pregnant. She had 3 of us without ever getting it done during the pregnancy and had no complications. All they're looking for is cervical cancer, or potentially cancerous cells - which are caused by HPV, which can't be treated while you're pregnant anyway... As far as the blood tests are concerned, you don't just get STD's from sex. Shit happens, and that's one test I'm getting done anyway.

I haven't decided about the pap test. My doctor used to be a midwife aswell, and I trust her opinion - but if they can't do anything about it anyway, why not wait until after the birth?? There are so many superfluous tests, I don't really see the point of them all. People have been having babies for centuries without all of this crap. And I mean, really... I would be crushed if I miscarried, but there's no preventing it if it's going to happen. So what are these tests doing for us??

 

[Abbie81]

hi,
i live in spain and i got TOLD i had to have a pap smear, i totally refused one because i got told it can cause miscarrige, luckily my gynacologist is a friend of mine and said i didnt really have to have it if i didnt want it. what can they do if there is a problem anyway??? and as im not due for one till next yr i figured , why risk it and im sure a few months wont make a difference to having a smear test, il just have one when baby pops out! xx