My pap test was "abnormal, " what happens now?

Colposcopy: It depends on the type of abnormality. Sometimes the course is to wait and repeat the pap in 3 or 6 months. If the abnormality is serious, you may have a colposcopy- which involves the doctor looking at the cervix with a magnifier and taking biopsies of any abnormal areas.

Depends - "abnormal": There is a wide range of abnormal pap smear results. Some tests come back showing you have a virus called hpv which is extremely common in sexually active women. Pap smears can also show that the cells of the cervix themselves are abnormal, showing pre-cancerous/cancerous cells. Since "abnormal" can mean many things, ask your doctor specifically what it showed and when you should have it repeated.