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In 2002, 69% of U.S. women who had undergone a complete hysterectomy complete hysterectomy Total hysterectomy Gynecology Complete surgical removal of the uterus and cervix, but not the adnexae–ovaries and fallopian tubes. See TAH-BSO.  said that they had had a Pap smear Pap smear
 or Papanicolaou smear

Sample of cells from the vagina and cervix of the uterus for laboratory staining and examination to detect genital herpes and early-stage cancer, especially of the cervix. Developed by the Greek-born U.S.
 within the previous three years; this proportion had not changed since the early 1990s, even though a federal task force recommended in 1996 against routine Pap smears for women without a cervix. (1) Using data from an annual population-based survey, analysts estimated that in 2002, 15 million women aged 18 and older had undergone hysterectomy hysterectomy (hĭstərĕk`təmē), surgical removal of the uterus. A hysterectomy may involve removal of the uterus only or additional removal of the cervix (base of the uterus), fallopian tubes (salpingectomy), and ovaries  yet had had a Pap smear in the past three years. When they subtracted from this total women whose hysterectomy could have preceded the Pap smear, those who still had a cervix and those who had had the hysterectomy to treat a cervical malignancy, the result indicated that approximately 10 million women--almost half of those who had undergone hysterectomy--had needlessly obtained a Pap smear. The analysts speculate that their findings may stem from women's misunderstanding of hysterectomy and the purpose of Pap smears, from physicians' reluctance to discontinue screening for fear that patients will question their judgment or from systemic factors, such as Pap smear performance measures.

(1.) Sirovich BE and Welch HG, Cervical cancer Cervical Cancer Definition

Cervical cancer is a disease in which the cells of the cervix become abnormal and start to grow uncontrollably, forming tumors.
 screening among women without a cervix, Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association is an international peer-reviewed general medical journal, published 48 times per year by the American Medical Association. JAMA is the most widely circulated medical journal in the world. , 2004, 291(24):2990-2993.
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Title Annotation:FYI
Author:Hollander, Dore
Publication:Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Geographic Code:1USA
Date:Jul 1, 2004
Words:207
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