A positive HPV result does not mean that you will also have an abnormal Pap smear – in fact, that is the preferred outcome. That means we have caught and can continue to track the HPV infection to make sure it clears before it leads to any cervical cell changes that would be detected on a Pap smear*.
Sometimes the doctor doing your follow-up will also re-run the HPV test while doing the Pap smear. This is not advised. However, if this happens, the repeat HPV test can sometimes show no HPV. This may mean your body is clearing the virus naturally, and the virus is not present in your cervix (this is common, as HPV can come and go). Also, the doctor is taking a sample from your cervix, while self-collection samples the vagina. So, there could be HPV in the vagina but not in the cervix.
If this happens, please continue routine screenings as recommended by the provider to monitor any possible HPV infection. Your provider will also review this with you when explaining your results and recommended follow-up steps.
As a reminder, a primary HPV test can find HPV infections at earlier stages compared to a Pap smear, which is looking for abnormal changes to your cervical cells that have already happened because of long-lasting HPV infections.