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An HPV test most often is done at the same time as a Pap test. A Pap test looks for cancer in cells from your cervix. An HPV test can be done using the sample from the Pap test.
A positive HPV test means you have one of the strains of HPV that increases your risk of developing cervical cancer. So, testing positive for HPV is the same as testing positive for “high-risk” HPV.
You can test positive for HPV and have a normal Pap test. Cervical changes are often caused by HPV, but having HPV doesn’t always lead to abnormal Pap tests.
This test, conducted on cells from your cervix, can recognize the DNA of the high-risk varieties of HPV that have been linked to genital cancers. It's recommended for women 30 and older in addition to the Pap test.
The result of the HPV test, along with your past test results, determines your risk of developing cervical cancer. If the test is positive, this could mean more follow-up visits, more tests to look for a pre-cancer or cancer, and sometimes a procedure to treat any pre-cancers that might be found.
An HPV test can be done either by itself (primary HPV testing) or at the same time as the Pap test (co-testing). If a Pap test is done by itself and the result is positive (abnormal), the same sample can be used to test for HPV.
The HPV test can help find out if your cell changes are related to HPV. Ask your doctor what to do next. An abnormal result means that cell changes were found on your cervix.
If you’re under 30, most HPV infections clear up on their own. By age 30, finding HPV during a Pap smear can determine how often you should receive follow-up testing. If you test positive, you may be at a higher risk and need more frequent testing.
What happens during an HPV test? If you're getting an HPV test to screen for cervical cancer, you will lie on an exam table. Your provider will use a plastic or metal instrument called a speculum to widen the vagina, so the cervix can be seen. Your provider will then use a small, soft brush or swab to collect cells from the cervix.
Sometimes you'll get an HPV test at the same time as a Pap test — this is called co-testing. Your doctor or nurse might be able to use the same sample of cells for both tests. Or they might need to take 2 samples instead. An HPV test only takes a few minutes.