How It Is Done

You will need to take off your clothes below the waist and drape a paper or cloth covering around your waist. You will then lie on your back on an examination table with your feet raised and supported by footrests. This allows the health professional to examine your external genital area, vagina, and cervix. You may want to wear socks to keep your feet warm while they are in the footrests.

The health professional will insert a lubricated speculum into your vagina. The speculum gently spreads apart the vaginal walls, allowing the inside of the vagina and the cervix to be examined.

Your health professional will collect several samples of cells from your cervix using a cotton swab, brush (cytobrush or cervix brush), or a small spatula. Cells are collected from the visible part of the cervix as well as from its opening (endocervical canal). In women who do not have a cervix, cells from the vagina are collected if a Pap test is needed. The cells are smeared on a slide or mixed in a liquid fixative and sent to a lab for examination under a microscope.