Many women wonder who needs to get a pap smear or when they should get this test. Women 21 to 65 years old should get regular Pap tests. Some women think if they are not sexually active, had an HPV vaccine, or went through menopause they may not need a Pap smear, but experts recommend still getting one regularly. Even if a woman has had a hysterectomy, depending on the specific circumstance, a Pap smear may still be advised.

The current recommendation for a Pap smear includes:

• Women ages 21–29 get a Pap test every 3 years
• Women ages 30–65 get:
  • A Pap test every 3 years, or
  • An HPV test every 5 years, or
  • A Pap and HPV test together (called co-testing) every 5 years
• Women older than 65 if they have never been tested, or if they have not been tested after age 60

Some women should get a Pap Smear more often. Your healthcare provider may recommend Pap tests more often if: 

• You’ve had treatment for abnormal Pap results
• You’re a smoker
• You’ve had cervical cancer
• You have a history of precancerous cells
• You have a weakened immune system because of organ transplant, chemotherapy, or steroid use
• You are living with HIV, since women with HIV have an increased risk of cervical cancer and other cervical diseases because of a weakened immune system. 
• The U.S. Department of Health recommends women with HIV get an initial Pap test at the time of the HIV diagnosis and a second Pap test (or Pap and HPV test if you are older than 30) 6 or 12 months later (depending on what your provider recommends. After three normal Pap tests in a row, you can get follow-up Pap tests every 3 years.
• Your birth mother was exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) while pregnant with you