Miscarriage after a pap smear

Guest · Guest

The same thing happend to me except he doctor didnt ask me to take a test til after the pap smear i didnt even know i was pregnant until after the pap smear and the next day i miscarried i passed the fetus and i now have an appt to get a sonagram done to see what all is going on i think that they should always give pregnancy tests before trying to do a pap smear and if it comes out positive then they shouldnt continue with the appt.

LaraKS · Newbie Joined: 20 Oct 2007 Posts: 1

I had a doctor's appt a couple of days ago. I was 11 weeks pregnant. I had a pap as well. The baby on the sonogram looked ok, and there was a heartbeat. Yesterday night I saw some brown spotting, and I had some pain on the side. Now I am freaking out. This is really scary - I have had 3 miscarriages over the past 2 years, and I am not in the age when I can try forever. I am really mad at myself and the doctor - I shouldn't have agreed to the pap, but I never thought it somehow could be a potential cause for a miscarriage.

Guest · Guest

I had a previous pregnany about 2 yrs ago without complications. This one was also going well. The sonogram 3 days ago indicated a heartbeat and the baby was determined to be 6wks 4days old. Last pregnancy I refused a pap but this pregnancy I was forced into it by the doctor. Almost immediately I started spotting. Within 2 days this incresed and I lost the baby. I still did not experience any discomfort, cramping, etc. I am starting to think that there are some women who must be at risk for miscarriage after a pap smear, especially if done early in pregnancy. Pap smears have also caused me to bleed and sometimes cramp. I wonder if age is also a factor.

Starfire scientist · Newbie Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 1

pap or pelvic exam can be uncomfortable and stressful for many pregnant women (who might not find it so unpleasant otherwise). It can cause spasm, cramping and pelvic distress---if not done properly, it could introduce infections---all of this can cause miscarriage. So, supporters of pap can give all the statistics that they want but the truth is that 25% of viable pregnancies should not be resulting into miscarriage. Many miscarriages are due to an unhealthy embryo or situation such as blighted ovum--that means the pregnancy was not viable to begin with. Many miscarriages happen too early (5 weeks) and cannot even be detected. However, if large number of mc's are taking place right after a visit to on/gyn office for pelvic exam or pap--- there could be correlation's. 50% of my friends miscarried after their 1st pap/ pelvic exam. All went to different doctors in different states and were under 9 week pregnant. And finally here is the question-- the pap test can be negative or positive. If it is positive a biopsy (more invasive) is needed and can only be done after the delivery. There are more chances of a false positive pap especially during pregnancy-- so why is a pap necessary when it can even pose a 1% risk?

Guest · Guest

I had the same problem, did a pop smear at 8weeks and the second day, i started spotting, and two days after i miscarriage one f my baby and this morning, i miscarriage the other pass the sac and everthing, and i think its because of the, pop smear. well before the popsmear everything was normal. I cant understand why they keep doing it at first trimester, and alot of people complaning about they having miscarriage after. And they still be doing it. Right, now I'm really upset about my situation.

Guest · Guest

Hi, I am in the USA where it is considered "standard medicine" to do a pap (genereally early) in pregnancy. I havent had one yet and I am nearly 4 months. When I went into the Dr. today and pretty much told her I would be refusing it, she pretty much told me that I would not be able to get "the best possible care" and that she would not be the right person for my prenatal. I am refusing the pap because of the risk of miscarrage. Let's just say the the whole staff treated me like I didn't care about my baby because if I did I wouldnt refuse this. When I asked if other people had ever voiced similar concerns and had a problem with this they said "no" and looked at me as if I were crazier still! I am having a hell of a time finding a place that will provide some care without forcing me to put my baby at risk (however small), they just keep preaching their beliefs trying to change my mind and explaining the risks of NOT doing it; never once conceeding to the idea that there is any possible risk to my baby at all FOR doing it. I will continue to fight for what I feel is right for my child and I; it is unbelievable that we should be made to roll over and take it or be made to feel like bad people for our decisions! Who died and made western medicine God?

Guest · Guest

I had an early pap for my 1st pregnancy and began bleeding the next day; luckily, I didn't loose my baby, but made a decision not to let that happen again. For my last pregnancy and this one, I just refused the pap, explaining what happened the 1st time and how I was uncomfortable with it. My mom always tells me that it's my body, and I shouldn't let any Dr. bully me with anything I feel uncomfortable with. Of course they say it's safe, but the science of medicine is changing all the time. One day the FDA approves a drug as safe; then a few months later pulls it off the shelves because it's giving people heart attacks. They also used to recommend that babies be placed on their stomachs to sleep and we now know that was a bad idea. So stick up for yourself, and if a Dr. is unwilling to respect you, find a new one. With all of these women having the same problem following a pap, why take a chance? Besides, what is the point? Whatever treatment they would have to give you if there were a disease detected by the pap would probably have to wait until after the pregnancy, so what's the point in getting one now? Drs. always want to prod around to feel this or that to see how things are going, but if there is a problem with the pregnancy, there is nothing they can do about it. So I say stop trying to poke at me and leave well enough alone in there!

ArtisticArtTX · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

My whole life I have had no history of any miscarriages, no history of any medical problems, no major surgeries, I have never even broken a bone, and all of my blood tests have been normal. What I do have is a history of having 2 healthy, normal children, currently ages 10 and 14. I too had a miscarriage after having a pap smear and pelvic exam. Grant it, I am 41, but I am a very healthy 41 year old. And, I know that any pregnancy at age 40 or over is considered a high risk pregnancy...all the more reason I should not have had the pap smear. I also know that women have been having babies for centuries without all this medical intervention. And I understand that the risk of miscarriages in the first trimester is not uncommon in any woman no matter what her age is. Anyway, here is my story: I had a positive home pregnancy test on March 6. I had a positive pregnancy test confirmed at a medical office on March 28. On April 7, at 9 weeks and 2 days I had my first prenatal visit. Not knowing that I should refuse a pap smear or anything about the correlation that existed between pap smears and miscarriages in the first trimester, the nurse practitioner did a pap smear and pelvic exam. She told me everything looked fine scheduled another visit for May 5 and an ultrasound in 2 weeks on April 21. That same week after the pap smear my hormone levels began to drop and I began bleeding on Saturday, April 12. I went back to the same nurse on Monday, April 14 and told her I had been bleeding (spotting) since Saturday. I thought I might have a urinary tract infection (I had one while pregnant with my second child). She tested my urine and said it was fine. She also told me my pap smear and blood tests were normal. She did another pelvic exam and said that she saw "clots" and ordered an ultrasound for that same day. I had the ultrasound and the nurse said that the report showed that there was no heartbeat, that I would most likely miscarry, that the baby stopped developing 3 weeks ago. I miscarried 2 days later on Wednesday, April 16 in my 10th week. I wish to God that I had known about the correlation between pap smears and miscarriages, and that other women had experienced this same thing so that I could have refused the pap smear. I had a normal pap smear a year ago and there was no reason for her to do it, and it could have waited. I didn't have pap smears with either one of my children until my 6 week check up AFTER the baby was born. What I don't understand is if the baby was dead 3 weeks ago wouldn't I have miscarried the baby then? It doesn't take 3 weeks to have a miscarriage? Right? I am certain that the baby was fine until I had the pap smear. It just makes sense to me that medical professionals shouldn't be poking things in you and scraping the side of your uterus while you're pregnant. I will tell every healthy woman I know about this so that the same thing doesn't happen to them.

superconfused · Newbie Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

so im super confused and sad because i had the same thing i was spotting brownish stuff for a day and they said it should be ok but because this was my first pregnancy and i was bein paranoid i called the doctor and they said to come in. The doctor did a pap and a blood test saying everything looked normal and not even a half hour later i started having red blood two hours later large clot like chunks started coming out when i went to the bathroom i went to the emergency room that night and they did an internal ultrasound saying the sac was no longer in my uterus and they were sorry to inform me that i indeed had a miscarriage. so here i am today sitting at home waiting for the rest of the stuff to pass just wondering if the pap had anything to do with it. Maybe if i woulda just chilled out i would still have my baby. Am i crazy?

Guest · Guest

My daughter had a miscarriage last Friday two days after a pap smear. I know she was nervous before the exam, but I believe there may have been a link between the pap smear and the miscarriage. She also had her teeth cleaned the day between the exam and miscarriage, no xrays of course, but I believe the stress also causes miscarriages. Next time no pap smear for her - just in case - this was her first and she has no sexually transmitted diseases with her husband being true blue.

Miscarriage after a pap smear

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