It seems like there’s an epidemic of Human Papillomavirus and dysplasia of the cervix especially in resort communities like the Outer Banks. Positive pap smears have increased in incidence since 2007 when the last large study was conducted. Why are women having more positive pap smears? It’s not an easy question to answer but we do know that age groups 15 to 27 are not the only groups affected.
We are now finding that pre-menopausal and menopausal women are having positive pap smears. This is important because in the last three years patients are not being reimbursed for pap smears that are done annually. That is not to say that annual pap smears are important for every patient but for some patients they are life saving.
What can we do about this problem? If you find yourself in a situation where you need a pap smear done and it cannot be paid for there are multiple sources where you can get a pap smear under a state or federal program. Feel free to call our office for further information. 252-491-8550
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