The Pattern of Cervical Smear among Women attending Cervical Cancer Screenig Center at Basra Maternity Hospital

Abstract

Background: cancer of the cervix is the second cancer among women after breast cancer. Screening for pre-invasive disease prevent progression to malignancy. Setting: Clinic for early detection of cervical cancer, Basra Maternity Hospital. Study Design: Retrospective cross sectional observational study. Methods: All women attended the cervical cancer-screening clinic at Basra Maternity Hospital during the years 2016, 2017, whom underwent Pap smear were included in the study by reviewing their data sheet, which arranged in a special questionnaire form provided by Ministry of Health and includes many variable, analysis of data done and presented in tables as number and percentage. Results: A total of 317 women, their age range from 25-65 years.95 (30%) of those women had normal cervical smear, 104 (32.8%) had infection and 114 (36%) had premalignant results.(4 cases reported abnormal result without specifications). We found significant association with postcoital bleeding and with history of infertility. No significant correlation found with vaginal discharge, post-menopausal bleeding and intermenstrual bleeding, age of women, residency and level of education. Conclusion: appreciable proportion of women investigated by pap smear diagnosed with premalignant lesion, therefore the need for national guideline and protocols to increase the awareness of the importance of pap smear as it is in case of early detection of breast cancer.