By Peter Morris, M.D . A Pap smear is a screening test for cervical cancer. The cervix is the mouth or opening of the womb.
Cervical cancer is the sixth most common type of female cancer in the United States.
A Pap smear is performed during a woman's annual physical examination. It involves looking in the vagina to see the cervix, and collecting a sample of the cells from the cervix. Although the exam may be uncomfortable for some women, a Pap smear is a painless procedure. Most women who have an abnormal Pap smear do not have cancer. Most abnormal Pap smears are due to changes on the cervix or pre-cancerous cells termed dysplasia.