Cervical Cancer: Why Pap Smears Matter

When British reality television star Jade Goody died in March, women around the world mourned her loss while thanking her for inadvertantly saving their lives. Goody, a victim of cervical cancer, publically battled the disease and encouraged all women to routinely get checked.

This meant a huge rise in pap smears. For many women, it meant procedures that ended with a clean bill of health, but for others, pap smears turned up abnormal results.

It is frightening to grapple with abnormal health results, especially in the light of such celebrity news. But there are reasons for abnormal pap smears that don’t necessarily mean cancer. We’ll explain what some of those reasons are so you are better equipped to deal with whatever results come your way.