You've probably heard Pap smears are important for your health, but you might not know what they actually are. You're not alone!

A Pap smear, or Cervical Cancer Screening test, looks for changes on the cervix that may, in very rare cases, lead to cancer. Finding these changes early means getting the care you need to make sure they don’t become a problem.

Most cases of cervical cancer are associated with certain types of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Read on for more about HPV including how HPV tests are used as part of your check-up.