Getting a Pap Smear During Pregnancy

Q: Is a Pap smear safe in pregnancy?

Answer:

Not only is a Pap smear safe in pregnancy, it is considered mandatory by many obstetricians. An abnormal Pap smear discovered during a pregnancy may determine the management of the pregnancy as well as management of the abnormal Pap. Thankfully, most problems, even most severely abnormal Paps, can be managed after a normal pregnancy concludes.

The Pap is a gentle scraping of cells from the mouth of your womb. It is far, far away from the pregnancy and even the mild spotting it can cause has nothing at all to do with the baby. The cells are delicate and it's not unusual to have a little spotting for a day or two, so don't panic if this happens.

So yes, you need that Pap smear--it's considered good obstetrics and must be part of the prenatal care.