Pap exams while pregnant?

[blueridgewoman]

I'm TTC right now and hoping against hope that I'm currently pregnant (too early to test!).

I realized the other day that I was due for my yearly pap exam in October.... I had a miscarriage in July and am SO paranoid about another miscarriage that I would really like to go without a pap in October if I am pregnant. My question is-- do they automatically give you a pap when you're newly pregnant, or could I hold off on the internal exams until the second trimester at least?

[elmh23]

My midwife asked if I wanted one at my first appointment with her or hold off until 6wk pp check. I opted for the 6wk pp check since if there was something that showed up, I wouldn't end the pregnancy. She agreed that that was a good choice.

With my first, they didn't do a pap until my 6wk pp check but only because I'd had my yearly two months before.

[blueridgewoman]

Okay, good, so I can hold off. :) I'm totally comfortable not getting the pap until postpartum-- my doctor has said that I could go down to every three years if I wanted to, per new AMA guidelines, and while I haven't done that, I feel like I could wait six or seven more months without worrying about it.

[meggles]

You can refuse ANYthing you want. It's your pregnancy, it's your body. I had to go in and see my OB to get some lab work done (only because I didn't want my MW to do it and end up paying out of pocket for something my health insurance would cover). The nurse checking me in said that I needed a PAP, even though I just had a normal one last November. I refused it, of course. I also refused the ultrasound, doppler, and AFP. They can't do anything you don't consent to.

[~Shanna~]

I had a pap for my second pregnancy, which ended is miscarriage. It was probably unrelated, but it made me so skittish that I refused it when they wanted to give me one this time around. To just add to what the pp said, you absolutely can refuse anything, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with refusing something because you're plain uncomfortable with it - you don't have to give them a reason, and you can always change your mind later. The recommendations for pap frequency are changing if you've never had an abnormal one, so it seems like it's less of a risk than doctors would have you think.