It is Monday again, me and baby we went to Feeding with Love program at LAMP as usual.

Today's topic was the part 2 as last time-Cervical Cancer Screening.

A cervical cancer screening is to help prevent and reduce deaths from cervical cancer.A PAP testing is very important to find out the abnormal cells in the early stage and it can save your life.

Cervical cancer is caused by an HPV(human papillomavirus)infection.

Screening with a Pap test is the only way to find cell changes in your cervix that may lead to cancer.

That is why it is so important to have regular Pap tests. Pap tests find early cell changes in the cervix caused by HPV infections that won't go away. Those cell changes don't usually cause any symptoms,but they can turn into cancer if you don't find and treat them.

A Pap test is a simple screening test that can help prevent cervical cancer. A Pap test looks for abnormal cell changes on the cervix. It does not test for other cancers in the reproductive organs or for chlamydia,gonorrhea,or HIV.

A Pap test is done in a health care provider's office. An instrument, called a speculum , is gently inserted into your vagina so your cervix can be seen. Cells are taken from the cervix and are sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope.

Although cells on the cervix are always growing and changing. The HPV virus can cause normal cells to become abnormal. Often these abnormal cells return to normal once the HPV virus has clearled,but if they do not, a Pap test looks for these abnormal cells to determine if treatment is necessary. If left untreated for a number of years, abnormal cells can slowly turn into cervical cancer.

If you are sexual active, you should have Pap tests until 70 years old. The risk of getting cervical cancer does not decrease with age.

Pap tests can stop after the age of 70 if you have had at least three normal tests in the prior 10 years.

If you have had a hysterectomy, talk to your health care provider to see if you still need a Pap test.

You should have a Pap test every three years. If you are found to have abnormal cells, your health care provider will advise you of when you need to have another Pap test or if you need to be referred to a specialist.

To reduce the risk of cervical cancer. One should go for regular Pap tests. Go for follow up testing if the Pap test result is abnormal. Consider HPV immunization. The vaccine prevents most but not all vervical cancers, therefore, even if you are vaccinated against HPV, you still need regular Pap tests.

Use a condom. Condoms do not fully protext you from HPV infection but they may reduce the risk. Be smoke free and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoke can weaken the immune system which makes it difficult for your body to fight off an infection.

Eat well,follow Canada's food guide. Exercise regularly,manage stress and get enough rest to stay healthy.

Most women with an HPV infection do not develop cervial cancer.

Pap tests check for cervical cell changes that are caused by an HPV infection. Cervical cancer can be prevented by following these cell changes closely and treating them if necessary.

Most people come into contact with HPV at some point in their lifetime. Usually there are no symptoms and often people do not know that they have an HPV infection. The infection usually goes away naturally within two years.

HPV is passed form one person to another through intimate sexual contact.

An HPV infection causes cell changes in the cervix. For most women, the cells change back to normal when the infection goes away. Sometimes, for reasons that are not well nderstood,an HPV infection stays in the body for a long time. Over a number of years, this may slowly lead to cancer if the abnormal cells are not found and if neccessary,treated.

Certain types of HPV cause cervical cancer. HPV is a family of viruses commonly found in both men and women.

The Otario Cervical Screening Program is a program of cancer care Ontario and the Goverment of Ontario. It helps to inform, educate women to do Pap tests to reduce risks of getting cervical cancer.

Being a womam, regular Pap tests are neccessary and important. I didn't realize it is so important until now. I did a Pap test when I was pregnant. I may need to talk with my family doctor to see if I need another one.