Nov 20, 2009 8:33 pm US/Eastern
Pap Smear Guidelines Frustrate, Confuse Women
American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists Calls For Women To Delay First Pap Test, And Be Screened Less Often
RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBS) ―
The change in the guidelines for frequency of pap smears recommended by the College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has some women confused, frustrated, and feeling sidelined when it comes to their own health.
Some patients are now concerned insurance companies will stop covering the tests.
Dania Gonzales of Secaucus is taking the pap smear guidelines personally.
"My mother died of cervical cancer and I think women should be checked every year. I know I want to be checked every year," she told CBS 2.
Gonzales is baffled, saying despite her mom's diligence, she still didn't catch the cancer in time.
"She checked herself every year and by the time they saw that it was cancer, she died of cancer," she said.
The guidelines come just two days after a task force's suggestion to the federal government that women have mammograms at the age of 50 instead of 40.
Carol Westfall, a Jersey City resident, is simply angry.
"I believe this is all financial," she said.
Westfall has a family member diagnosed with breast cancer and hopes the new recommendations don't lead to insurance companies changing coverage rules.
"It's money, not about the patient need," she said.
Across many neighborhoods, women are wondering whether to follow the new guidelines now or to continue what they have been doing.
"I know what I'm going to do – ask to be screened every year," said Jennifer Brewer of East Rutherford.
Dr. Daniel Smith heads the gynecology division at Hackensack University Medical Center. He sees no conspiracy with these two separate studies, saying yearly paps have led to too many unnecessary surgical procedures in women who have the HPV virus.
While certain strains cause cervical cancer, Smith said a large number of women carry strains of HPV that don't lead to the deadly disease.
"There are a great deal of ramifications with surgery on the cervix. Incompetence to premature deliveries, which has been seen in women who have this problem," he said.
Still, yearly pap tests, others say, have cut the cervical cancer rate in the U.S. in half, and many women CBS 2 spoke with said they'll continue to err on the side of caution.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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