I am very surprised that pap smears can lead to a miscarriage and I was not aware of the risk that you run when you are getting one. I will be sure to advise female friends from now on if they ever want to know about this. Thanks for posing on this issue.
Loading...
I had the same thing happen to me. I had an appointment on thursday, I was 8 weeks pregnant. I had a pap smear, which I thought would be ok since I have a 2 year old son and had a pap with him but it was farther along more like 3 or 4 months. I also had a ultrasound that day and the doctor said everything was ok and heartbeat looked good. After my appointment later that night I started spotting, thought it was normal because the doctor told me during the pap that my cervix looked irritated and I would most likley spot for a day or 2. So I was spotting that day and the next and it turned to red blood and clots, I went to the hospital and the baby had no heartbeat and now I am sitting here waiting for it to pass, which is completely devastating. I dont know if the pap caused this to happen or not, but it just seems a little weird that everything could be perfectly fine then all of the sudden its all bad doesnt make since to me at all. Also if my cervix looked irritated then she probably should not have messed with it right?! I do believe the pap triggered my miscarriage and I will refuse them in my future pregnancies for sure. To everyone else dont get them, even if it is a tiny risk, it happens even when you dont think it will. I am sorry for everyone who has lost a baby, I pray you have future healthy pregnancies and children.
Loading...
My wife is pregnant with our first child. She had a pap done at 7 weeks pregnant even though we told her OBGYN she was pregnant. Then we had an unexpected overseas trip pop up on us at week 12. When we went to my wifes OBGYN in her native country, the doctor there was amazed the U.S.A Obgyn pap'd her at 7 weeks. The overseas doctor said that was a big no' no' and that they never pap in the first tri-mester. She actually got mad the U.S. doctor did the pap because she didn't understand it was common practice here. We like many others that posted didn't know any different until I started reading about pregnancy and stumbled across this forum. Anyways my point is: There might be something to the idea of a Pap causing a miscarriage, because its considered dangerous to do so in the first trimester overseas. Our baby is still healthy at 25 weeks, but just thought I would put my 2 cents in.
Loading...
I believe that there is a relationship between miscarriage and pap tests. I went in at 12 weeks to book an Ultra sound appointment as well as a OB. I did mention that i had had some of and on spotting for a few weeks. My doctor didnt even see me his intern did and he did not even consult with her. They did a urine test as well as bloodwork. Everything was normal and there were no signs of infection. She then decides that i needed a pap done. I was surpriced because i had not had one done with our 1st child. But i had never had one at all before and kinda shrugged and said ok. I was not informed of ANY risks. She did the pap told me i could expect some bleeding. Immediately i started bleeding heavier and was no longer here and there as it had been. I had three weeks of bleeding about the equivalent to and average cycle. Not heavy but defineatly there. At 15 weeks i hemmoraged and nearly died because of bloodloss. I am sure that it is a result of the pap test that was done. We are still looking into the possibility of Malpractice.
Loading...
I went to my 12 week prenatal visist where the performed a ultrasound and our baby was looking very healthy. Afterwards, I received my anual pap smear test, where I shall blood on the cotton swab. The nurse told me this was normal, although it has never happened to me before.
I then went to my 16 week check-up. The nurse could not find our baby's heart beat. I went to get a ultrasound where the doctor told me our baby had no heart beat, and was measuring 13 weeks. I had to have a d and c done the next day.
You tell me, what went wrong?
I then went to my 16 week check-up. The nurse could not find our baby's heart beat. I went to get a ultrasound where the doctor told me our baby had no heart beat, and was measuring 13 weeks. I had to have a d and c done the next day.
You tell me, what went wrong?
Loading...
I am so happy that before I got pregnant, I have gathered so much information from my friends who were pregnant before me. One of them had a perfectly healthy first pregnancy that lasted 5 months until the hospital she went to did an internal exam on her. The other problem was, the hospital was a teaching hospital where interns get to participate with the check-up. An intern in that hospital did the internal exam on her and she screamed because it was so painful. The next day she bled and on that same week lost the baby. And so I kept that in mind, I was once on vacation and had a fever that I had to go to the hospital as I can't simply buy meds as I was six weeks pregnant then. The hospital I went to wanted to perform IE on me, they have already prepared the speculum and there were other people on lab gowns who were questioning me. I believe they were medical students and were there to learn how to IE a patient. Knowing what happened to my friend, I think saved my babies because I strongly refused even though the head OB insisted on the procedure as they will not give me any meds for my fever if they don't inspect the situation of the baby. In the end, I didn't allow them and had to sign a waiver. Now I'm 20 weeks pregnant and just had a video of my anomaly scan where I saw my babies moving, playing, and healthy. Refuse any invasive procedures and ask for risk and why they need to perform the procedures.
Loading...
I found this topic really helpful, it really made me aware of something that had honestly never crossed my mind could be a potential cause for miscarriage. I will indeed be remembering this when my boyfriend and I try for children someday.
I'm so sorry for all of your miscarriages! D:
I'm so sorry for all of your miscarriages! D:
Loading...
For what-so-ever the docs tells, what so-ever the statistics are, reality is that we know less that 1% of our entire human physiology.. leave alone the complicated biochemistry. Pap smears during pregnancy do indeed carry risk. For even 1 in 1000 cases. Think about the lady who lost her pregnancy due to pap procedure.. for her its 100% fatality.
If there are no familial history of Cervical cancer and if the symptoms don't point it any way, its always better to avoid the Pap procedure to avoid any risk of loosing the pregnancy. You can always get it done after that! Even though the pap is done far away from the uterus where embryo is lodged, still the trauma of the procedure can very well trigger complex hormonal and cytokine waves to harm the fetus. When we say its SAFE, we take it for granted based on "n" number of prior experiences. Now this can be terribly faulty. Remember drugs that were considered safe were prescribed to millions of patients for decades by reputed physicians. After decades people found some of these can cause fatal problem.. and now there are withdraws and law suits! Reality is that we know almost nothing to very little about human system. So who so ever says, how so ever that guy might have experience... take every thing with a lump of salt. Because again... we know very little of all human physiology. Doctors know what is written in medical books and medical books says only that is available till today as far best knowledge... that doesn't mean that's ultimate! it could be proved all wrong next week itself by some new findings!
If there are no familial history of Cervical cancer and if the symptoms don't point it any way, its always better to avoid the Pap procedure to avoid any risk of loosing the pregnancy. You can always get it done after that! Even though the pap is done far away from the uterus where embryo is lodged, still the trauma of the procedure can very well trigger complex hormonal and cytokine waves to harm the fetus. When we say its SAFE, we take it for granted based on "n" number of prior experiences. Now this can be terribly faulty. Remember drugs that were considered safe were prescribed to millions of patients for decades by reputed physicians. After decades people found some of these can cause fatal problem.. and now there are withdraws and law suits! Reality is that we know almost nothing to very little about human system. So who so ever says, how so ever that guy might have experience... take every thing with a lump of salt. Because again... we know very little of all human physiology. Doctors know what is written in medical books and medical books says only that is available till today as far best knowledge... that doesn't mean that's ultimate! it could be proved all wrong next week itself by some new findings!
Loading...
A few weeks ago, I went to a highly recommended doctor with horrible breast pain and had gained 7 lbs over the course of 2 months. Because I had an IUD, no one suspected pregnancy. The doctor did a breast exam, a pap smear, and then handed me the script for a mammogram and told me we would discuss the results. The pap smear was very uncomfortable and I immediately started bleeding. The bleeding continued for several days which the doctor told me is common when you have an IUD.
To make a long story short, I came back in 2 weeks later...still bleeding and with horrible cramps and a new doctor asked if we had considered pregnancy. The test results were positive. They removed the IUD and sent me home with prenatal vitamins and told me we were having a baby. Later the ultrasound showed no fetus.
In conclusion, I disagree entirely with a Pap smear in the 1st trimester of a pregnancy. I have 3 children and my firstborn was a high risk pregnancy due to a low lying placenta. I bled for the first 4 months but stayed on bed rest and had no internal exams. This baby was as healthy as ever weighing in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. That doctor had specifically said it is not good to go poking up in there during the first trimester of a pregnancy.
To make a long story short, I came back in 2 weeks later...still bleeding and with horrible cramps and a new doctor asked if we had considered pregnancy. The test results were positive. They removed the IUD and sent me home with prenatal vitamins and told me we were having a baby. Later the ultrasound showed no fetus.
In conclusion, I disagree entirely with a Pap smear in the 1st trimester of a pregnancy. I have 3 children and my firstborn was a high risk pregnancy due to a low lying placenta. I bled for the first 4 months but stayed on bed rest and had no internal exams. This baby was as healthy as ever weighing in at 8 lbs. 4 oz. That doctor had specifically said it is not good to go poking up in there during the first trimester of a pregnancy.
Loading...
The same thing happened to me and I know in my heart it was from the Pap Smear. I would not get a Pap Smear the 1st trimester it is not worth it.
Loading...
I had a pap done when I was 6 weeks and 4 days pregnant, I started bleeding while the pap was taking place. I went back to the dr for my check up and found out that I had lost the baby. They did a ultra sound and it showed I was 6 wks and 4 days. So I believe in my heart that this was caused by the pap test. Dont let your dr do one until you are further along.....
Loading...
i am a 33 yr old mom of 1 7yr old boy...he is my life...me and my husband found out we were pregnant again on april 25 2011...we were very excited cause i was 11wks and a cp; days...went to the doc on may 3 and they did a papsmear and found the babies heart beat...with in a cpl of hours i started slight cramping and a little spotting of brown blood...by the next day it was a little worse but doc said it was to be expected...3rd day(may 5th) around 4:30pm i had a gush of blood(red) went straight to er...2 pelvic exams and 2 ultrasounds later they could only find a gestational sack that if there was a baby in it was 5wks 1day...docs were stumped because they couldnt find the baby...well may 6th(4th day) i was having mild cramping nothing bad but in the evening i felt something come out and the i held my tiny baby in my hands...i know it had to have been that pelvic exam that started all this...i will refuse a pelvic from now on...they will be poking me and proding enough down there that when i get pg they shouldnt need to do another pelvic...im so empty inside!
Loading...
I have an appointment with an Ob tomorrow for a pregnancy test and I am in research wether to get a pap smear now or wait till my due date... I am very confused at the moment and it scares me to death that if i go with it, I might have a misscarriage and my boy friend and I are expecting for our first born and i dont want to disapoint him and specialy myself if this happens... What should I do? take the Pap smear now or go wiith my guts to wait till the baby is born then go for the pap smear?
Loading...
So I know that I am a couple of years too late in responding to this post, but if what I say here helps one person then Im sure it's ok. Having previously had a miscarriage I was terrified that this pregnancy would end up the same. Last Wednesday I had my first appt and that would have me at 5 weeks and 6 days. Everything so far in the pregnancy was great and I was going out of my way to not do anything so that I wouldnt put myself at risk for a miscarriage. I had my pap done on Wednesday and he did a vaginal ultrasound, we saw the little sac, and everything was fine. Thursday I started to spot and began to freak out and found this site and freaked out more thinking that the pap was going to cause me to miscarry. I called my dr's office and they said it was very common to spot after a pap and if it wasn't gone by the following day to call back in. It got much worst the following day and I went in to his office and they had just gotten the results from my blood test from Wednesday. He said my progesterone was at a 4 and at 6 weeks it should be at least a 12 and that my body was getting ready to miscarry. Sure enough on Saturday I miscarried. Its very very VERY hard to know ur pregnant and envision your life changing and going through that horrible process. BUT, everything happens for a reason and if I was going to have a stillborn later or something worst, Im glad it happened early. All this being said, Im sure everyone here had some sort of issue and is blaming it on the pap. After doing a lot of research I came to find out that there is no way a pap can cause someone to miscarry, something was already wrong to begin with. Ask your doctor for your hcg levels and your progesterone levels to make sure everything is ok, because if its not those levels drop really quick. Good luck!!!
Loading...
The same thing happened to me. I had no idea until I just read this that I should not have gotten that pap smear. I am 32 years old and did not think I could have children. I was SOOO excited to find out I was prego and went to an obgyn right away. First visit, everything was fine and the second month they gave me the pap, and I miscarried. If I am blessed with another child, which every single day I pray to be, then I will not get a pap anytime during the pregnancy!! I send all of you women my love! xoxo
Loading...