Family planning and Pap smear services

What is family planning?


Family planning allows you to determine the desired number of children you wish to have in the future, as well as the types of contraceptives to use to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. The use of non-invasive contraception is essential, especially after your first child, so that you can allow adequate time between births.



When do we carry out a Pap smear?

A Pap smear is a part of our family planning services. This test is designed to check for changes in your cervical cells suggestive of cancer of the cervix. The cervix, which is the bottom part of the uterus, is prone to cancer as a result of abnormal cellular division. When your cervical cells multiply rapidly, a mutation occurs.

Routine Pap smears help detect cancer early so that we can commence treatment as soon as possible. Simply put, regular Pap smears save lives.


How does a Pap smear work?

A Pap smear is an internal vaginal exam. First, your doctor guides a small medical instrument (speculum) into the vagina, separating the vaginal walls. Then, using a soft brush, the doctor wipes cells at the entrance of the vagina (cervical opening). This entire process only takes a few minutes. You may feel slight discomfort initially, but this does not last long.

What happens next?

Cells extracted from the cervix are sent to the laboratory for further examination in the pathology laboratory. After interpreting the results from the pathology report, Dr Ledwaba can read her findings to you at your next appointment. She can also call or email the test results if you prefer.


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1. How do I interpret the results?
When your doctor receives a negative report, it means your condition is stable. So your cervical cells have not undergone significant changes. Low-grade abnormalities mean that some changes have occurred due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). These changes are from HPV, which is common in sexually active people. Having HPV does not necessarily mean you have cancer because there are various strains of the virus. A high-grade abnormality suggests further investigation is necessary. A possible high-grade result means the HPV infection can develop into cancer, in which case, Dr Ledwaba will refer you to a gynaecologist for further investigation.
2. Do I still need to complete regular Pap smears after getting vaccinated against HPV?
When your doctor receives a negative report, it means your condition is stable. So your cervical cells have not undergone significant changes. Low-grade abnormalities mean that some changes have occurred due to the human papillomavirus (HPV). These changes are from HPV, which is common in sexually active people. Having HPV does not necessarily mean you have cancer because there are various strains of the virus. A high-grade abnormality suggests further investigation is necessary. A possible high-grade result means the HPV infection can develop into cancer, in which case, Dr Ledwaba will refer you to a gynaecologist for further investigation.