If you have endometriosis and receive an abnormal result after your Pap smear, you may be wondering if your endo is the underlying cause.

No, endometriosis itself can’t cause an abnormal Pap smear result.

Pap smears detect abnormal cells in your cervix. After your Pap, a sample is sent away to test for precancerous and cancerous cells as well as infections and inflammation.

Most commonly, it’s looking for signs of human papillomavirus (HPV), which isn’t related to endometriosis.

While endometriosis doesn’t directly affect your cervix, it can have indirect causes which may influence your Pap result.

For example, adhesions and scar tissue could interfere with your Pap sample. Chronic inflammation from endometriosis can also affect cervical tissue.

If you have endometriosis and get an abnormal Pap result, it may be indirectly related.

One rare possibility is cervical endometriosis, which is when endometriosis tissue grows on or around the cervix.

Also, endometriosis can cause things like ovarian cysts and fibroids. In some cases, these could influence your Pap results.

After receiving an abnormal Pap result, your doctor will let you know what next steps are. They might recommend a colposcopy, which is where they use a magnifying lens and light to take a closer look at your cervix.

During the procedure, they may also take a biopsy (tissue sample) to send away for testing.

You should also be sure to get regular Pap smears. Most people need them every 3–5 years, but you may need them more often if you have abnormal cells.