Do I need a PAP smear if I have a long-term homosexual relationship?

Q. I was advised to get a Pap smear test done. Will it hurt?

Answered by
Dr. Balakrishnan R
and medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team.
This is a premium question & answer published on Jun 15, 2017 and last reviewed on: Jul 14, 2023

Hello doctor,

I am a 24 year old female in a long-term relationship with a girl. We have both never been in a relationship with anyone else nor had any sexual activity with other people of either gender before. Do I need to get my Pap smear test done? I have recently been to my gynecologist and was told that I could eventually get it done, but I was not given a date for it. I am scared because I have never had any penetrative sex and even tampons are uncomfortable to me. So, I think the test would be very painful.

#

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I do not see any reason for you to get the test done. Let me explain why. Pap smear or Papanicolaou smear is taken from the outer and inner surface of the cervix called ectocervical and endocervical area respectively. When your cervix, especially the transitional zone where cells keep dividing, is exposed to the semen, they affect the dividing cells, which can turn malignant. HPV (human papillomavirus) is associated with cervical cancer and is the cause for 95 percent of the cancers. It is seen more commonly in people with multiple partners or those who have sex at an early age. If you are exposed to semen, you will need to get a Pap smear test done every year. If you are not exposed to any semen or STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) and do not smoke, then I do not see any risk of malignant changes for you. Hope I have clarified your doubts. Do write back if there is anything else to ask. All the best.


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