Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Test
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) Test
How It Is Done
An HPV test can be done in a doctor's office or clinic by:
- A gynecologist.
- An internist.
- A family medicine physician.
- A urologist.
- A physician assistant (PA).
- A nurse practitioner.
For this test, you need to remove your clothes below the waist and drape a paper or cloth covering around your waist. You will then lie on your back on an examination table with your feet raised and supported by stirrups. This allows your doctor to examine your vagina and genital area.
Your health professional will insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina. The speculum
gently spreads apart the vaginal walls, allowing the inside of the vagina and the cervix to be examined.
Your health professional will then use a cotton swab or a small brush to collect several samples of cells from the cervix. Cells are collected from the visible part of the cervix as well as cells from inside the opening of the cervix (endocervical canal). The samples are then placed in collection tubes and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
An HPV test can also be done on a cell sample taken during your Pap test if a technique called a liquid-based Pap test was used. For a liquid-based Pap test, cells are collected by rotating a plastic brush on the cervix. The samples are then placed in a jar of solution and sent to a lab for examination. If you have this type of Pap test and it shows abnormal cells, an HPV test may be done later on the same sample.
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| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: July 6, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease | |
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| Topic Contents | |
| Test Overview | |
| Why It Is Done | |
| How To Prepare | |
 | How It Is Done |
| How It Feels | |
| Risks | |
| Results | |
| What Affects the Test | |
| What To Think About | |
| References | |
| Credits | |