Comparison of cytobrush and cotton swab for Papanicolaou smears in pregnancy.
Papanicolaou smears obtained using cytobrush or cotton swabs were compared in 222 pregnant women. There were no complications attributable to the cytobrush. Endocervical cell yields obtained with the brush were 70.9% compared to 41.9% with the swab (P = .0001). There was no difference between use of the swab and the brush in the prevalence of dysplasia (19 cases) nor was there any difference in the prevalence of dysplasia in the smears that contained endocervical and/or metaplastic cells (17/181 = 8.6%) compared to those not containing these cell types (2/24 = 8.3%). This study suggests that use of the cytobrush in pregnancy warrants further study because of the frequency with which smears are reported as inadequate because they lack endocervical and/or metaplastic cells.
Rivlin
M E
ME
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216-4505.
Woodliff
J M
JM
Bowlin
R B
RB
Moore
J L
JL
Martin
R W
RW
Grossman
J H
JH
Morrison
J C
JC
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011247:Pregnancy; D011252:Pregnancy Complications, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*