Routine Care by Life Stage
Women's Health Care of New England • July 1, 2019
Routine Pap Test
The Pap test, also called cervical cytology, is a routine screening test for cervical cancer. This is a test that checks for abnormal changes in the cells of your cervix. It is very useful in detecting cervical cancer in the early stages, before it spreads to other parts of the body. This test has made it possible to detect pre-cancerous conditions also.
THE PROCEDURE
A Pap test only takes a few moments and is a part of a routine pelvic examination. It involves sampling or scraping a small number of cells from the cervix with a brush and looking at them under a microscope.
The best position for this examination is lying on your back, with your knees bent and feet apart – this is called the lithotomy position. A speculum is inserted into the vagina, to push away the vaginal walls and make visualization of the cervix possible. A special swab or brush is used to wipe off cells from inside the opening of the cervix (endocervix) and from the outer part of the cervix. The brush or swab may be placed into a liquid solution which allows the cervical cells to be rinsed from the brush into the sample for analysis or a traditional method of smearing the cells on a microscope slide may be used.
PAP TEST RESULTS
If the cells appear normal, no treatment is necessary. When an infection is present, medication will likely be prescribed — and sometimes the Pap test is repeated at a later date. If the cells appear abnormal, more tests may be necessary. A Pap test is not 100% accurate, so it is always important to talk to your clinician about your results.
Occasionally, there are false readings. A false positive is a Pap test that indicates abnormal tissue when the cells are normal. A false negative indicates normal cell growth but abnormal cells are actually present.
False-negative tests can occur for several reasons. The abnormal cells may not have been contained in the sample. There may have been too many or too few cells to allow an accurate reading. An infection could also cover up abnormal cells. If a Pap test is performed on a regular basis, the chances of a problem going undetected are considerably lower.
Our WHCNE Practice Manager and Physicians enjoyed a fun filled day at the Waypointe Summer Carnival sharing educational materials, eating delicious food, and enjoying the community.
Congratulations to our top docs!
We received this thank you note from the New York Sirens and we just had to share.
Our WHCNE family is growing. Can’t wait to meet our newest members. Congratulations to the two Mamas-To-Be, Amanda and Dr. Plaisimond!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day from the WHCNE family! Wishing you a joyful and festive St. Patrick’s Day! At Women’s Health Care of New England, we celebrate the spirit of community and care. Our dedicated team is here to support you with quality, compassionate healthcare. Enjoy the day in good health and happiness!
Fairfield County's Top Doctors 2022
We are honored that five of our doctors were awarded TOP DOCTOR in 2021 in Obstetrics & Gynecology by Fairfield Living, Greenwich, New Canaan-Darien, Westport, and Stamford Magazines. Each year Moffly Media selects doctors using criteria provided by the physician-led experts at Castle Connolly, a medical data research firm.
It is always remarkable when a member of our staff is recognized for outstanding performance and excellent patient reviews. We are proud Dr. Hedayatzadeh has been on our team of top-notch doctors and clinicians since 2009.
Women’s Healthcare of New England is seeing patients and actively screening each patient to ensure they do not expose our office or patient community to any illness. If you have a medical emergency, please do not show up at our office or at the hospital, but instead call ahead and find out the recommended course of action. Following appropriate guidelines and practicing proper technique will benefit both patients and clinicians and better prevent the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. The most important thing to do is to remain calm and think clearly. Key guidelines to stay safe: • Wear a mask • Limit your interactions, and keep a 6 foot distance from others. • Wash your hands (for at least 20 seconds) often throughout the day • Don’t touch your face • Keep surfaces clean These steps will help to reduce the spread of the virus and hopefully prevent further exposure in uninfected individuals. On a larger scale, the government’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is constantly evolving, we recommend that you stay up-to-date on information from verified sources. Learn more online from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html State of Connecticut https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus. By phone, you may contact 1-800-CDC-INFO, call 2-1-1, or text “CTCOVID” to 898211 for more information. To receive updates about the virus and how the government is responding to it, you may subscribe to the CDC’s Subscription Service https://www.cdc.gov/Other/emailupdates/.
