Many women get a Pap smear every few years during checkups at the gynecologist's office. Doctors do these tests to check for early signs of cancer of the cervix, the canal that connects your vagina to your uterus.
You may have wondered whether your doctor also checks for HIV during your Pap smear. But Pap smears don't show whether you have HIV or most other sexually transmitted diseases.
If you need an HIV test, you’ll go through an entirely separate process.
Pap Smears vs. HIV Tests
Pap smears help doctors find abnormal cells and changes in your cervix that could lead to cancer. To do one, your doctor will insert a tool called a speculum into your vagina. This allows them to see your cervix.
Your doctor will then use a soft brush and paddle or a broom-like device to gather cells from your cervix. They'll put the cells in a sealed container and send your sample to a lab for testing. Your results can come back as:
- Normal, which means your cells look healthy
- Unclear, which means your doctor can't tell whether your cells look abnormal. You may need to have another Pap smear.
- Abnormal, which means your cells don't look the way they're supposed to. This doesn't necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. Your doctor might do another Pap smear, or other tests.
During an HIV test, doctors collect samples of your blood, urine, or spit. They test these samples either for the human immunodeficiency virus or for substances that your immune system makes when you have it.
It can take from 10 days to 3 months after you’ve been exposed to HIV before tests can detect it. If you’ve been in contact with HIV and your test comes back negative, take another one a few weeks later.
The Differences Between HPV and HIV
HPV, or the human papillomavirus, is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that can cause cervical and other cancers. If your Pap smear results are unclear, your doctor might suggest an HPV test. The HPV test doesn't detect cancer, but can tell whether you have the virus that can cause it.
If you do, work with your doctor to decide on the next steps for your health. Those can include follow-up appointments, more tests, or treatment. Often, an HPV infection will go away on its own over time.
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, sounds a lot like HPV, but it's very different. It’s an STI, too. But instead of causing cancer, it damages your immune system. That means your body can't fight off infections and diseases as it should. HIV can also increase your risk of certain cancers.
There's no cure for HIV, but drugs called antiretrovirals can keep it under control. If you get HIV, you'll need to take these medicines every day.
What Tests Can Detect HIV?
The three basic types of tests doctors use to diagnose HIV are:
- Nucleic acid tests (NATs), which look for the virus in your blood. They're expensive, so doctors use them only if you’ve had recent high-risk contact with HIV or you have symptoms of an HIV infection, like fatigue, a headache, and mouth sores.
- Antigen/antibody tests. These check for both HIV antigens (foreign substances that trigger your immune system) and antibodies (proteins your immune system makes to fight viruses). P24, an HIV antigen, shows up in your body sooner than antibodies do.
- Antibody tests, which look for antibodies in your blood or spit. Many home and rapid HIV tests are this type.
If you think you need an HIV test, let your doctor know as soon as possible.
Is There a Connection Between Pap Smears and HIV?
While Pap smears don’t detect HIV, there are some links between the two. Some research has shown that women with HIV are at higher risk of also having HPV and cervical cancer. So if you’re living with HIV, you may be more likely to have abnormal Pap smear results.
You may need to get Pap smears more often than most women if you have HIV or:
- A history of cervical cancer
- A weakened immune system
Work with your doctor to find a routine that fits your needs.
