Abnormal Pap

[Shedevil18]

Could an abnormal pap affect TTC?

I had a pap done July 16th and I just got a call from my doctor saying she wants to see me about it.

I've had abnormal ones before where it comes back as inflammation and the OBGYN isnt concerned about it but I am just wondering if this is what is affecting us TTC

Any input appreciated

 

[WantsALittle1]

to you hon. Abnormal PAPs can be very stressful to deal with, all the waiting and wondering. I hope you get some answers soon and it's nothing serious. I had an ASCUS (Atypical Squamous Cells of Unknown Significance) PAP about 10 years ago and it was a very nerve-wracking few days. Further testing in the week afterward showed no explanation for it (no HPV or cancerous cells, etc) and when they retested me 6 months later it was normal, and all my subsequent ones have been normal since.

My personal thought is that abnormal cervical cells probably can affect chances of conception. Whether it is just inflammation of the tissue or some abnormal cells on the surface, if the cervix isn't able to function in its normal way, it may not be able to produce the correct kind of mucus for swimmers to thrive in, even though you might be ovulating normally. I think cervical mucus makes a huge impact on fertility. If inflamed, perhaps it is not reaching the correct position/level of being open for swimmers to pass through as well.

May I ask why it has taken so long for the doctor to call about a July 16 test result? That seems like a long time to wait to get a PAP back. Hoping you get some answers soon x

 

[Shedevil18]

That is what always comes back, ASCUS. I end up going to my OBGYN, she does another one and sometimes a biopsy and nothing is detected, just inflammation. I think why I am getting it is because we had sex the night before? After thinking about it I think every time I had it we had sex the night before... coincidence?

It took her that long to get back to me because it takes up to 8 weeks to get results back for a PAP... well that is what I have been told anyway. Could just be the system here in Canada? not sure

 

[WantsALittle1]

Ah, interesting. That very well may be it!

That reminds me that with my ASCUS, I was on AF at the time. I showed up at the clinic for the PAP and warned them that I was on the last few days of my period, and asked if we needed to reschedule. They said no. And then the result came back ASCUS and they made a special note that there was blood present. I was like yeah, told you I was on my period. When I asked my OB about this several years later, she said PAPs aren't supposed to be done when you're on your period.

So I wonder if that's it! It seems perfectly plausible to me that inflammation could be caused by BD or AF. I just am not quite sure why, in either of our cases, inflammation or even menstruation could look like atypical cervical cells under a microscope. Wouldn't it just cause there to be more red blood cells than there should be? How could that be mistaken for malformed cervical cells?

 

[Shedevil18]

I hear ya WantsALittle1. I finished my period July 13th so it was 3 days after so it could be a combination of both... who knows.

I will ask when i go to my appointment in September. The doctor said its not an emergency so dont rush to get in so obviously she isnt worried about it