How to Know if You are at Risk for Cervical Cancer

Cervical cancer happens to all women of all ages. It is important to have a pap test annually. The pap test discovers cancer before it has a chance to develop. It's important to keep up with your annual checkups in order to allow for your health advisors and doctors to find such issues as cervical cancer. Also if you have any risk factors it is important to be honest with yourself and don't bury your head in the sand. Analyze your medical history, realize if you have any of the health risks, you have to go to your medical professional and talk it over.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Trusted health care advisor or doctor

1. Get a complete physical. Ask your doctor if there is a possibility that you can develop the human papilloma virus (also known as HPV) infection.
2. Ask your doctor how often should you have a pap test based on your age and risk factors. Don't just write it down or hear it, make sure you do as he tells you and have that pap smear on time.
3. Be honest with yourself. If you started having sexual intercourse at age 18 or younger, you are at risk for cervical cancer. Talk to your health care advisor or gynecologist about this.
4. Be honest about the number of sexual partners or sex with persons who have had many partners. You can be at risk and should discuss it with your doctor.
5. Know that a diagnosis of chlamydia puts you at a higher risk for cervical cancer.

Tips & Warnings

• If you get an abnormal result from a pap smear, ask your doctor to be very specific in explaining exactly what the results mean and what is the plan of action to be taken from this point on.