title: Should the Pap smear be repeated at the first colposcopy visit?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there is any benefit in repeating the Pap smear at the time of colposcopy in women referred to a teaching hospital dysplasia clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of a computerised database, and review of literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeating the Pap smear potentially changed management in 2% of women referred with low-grade lesions, and in 7% of those with high-grade lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the literature suggests that the repeat smear may directly affect the quality of the colposcopic examination, repeating the smear in women referred with high-grade squamous intraepithelial (HSIL) smears may be beneficial.
authors.affiliation: The University Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Oncology/Dysplasia Unit, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dolman
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003127:Colposcopy / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000473:pathology*