What do the results mean?Your Pap smear results will show whether your cervical cells are normal or abnormal. You may also get a result that is unclear.Normal Pap smear. The cells in your cervix were normal. Your health care provider will recommend that you come back for another screening in three to five years depending on your age and medical history.Unclear or unsatisfactory results. There may not have been enough cells in your sample or there may have been some other problem that made it hard for the lab to get an accurate reading. Your health care provider may ask you to come in for another test.Abnormal Pap smear. Abnormal changes were found in your cervical cells. Most women who have abnormal results do not have cervical cancer. But, your health care provider may recommend follow-up testing to monitor your cells. Many cells will go back to normal on their own. Other cells may turn into cancer cells if not treated. Finding and treating these cells early can help prevent cancer from developing.Talk to your health care provider to learn what your Pap smear results mean.Learn more about laboratory tests, reference ranges, and understanding results.
