When should you have a pelvic exam and a pap smear test?

Yearly: Every year starting at age 21. Once you are 30 and all your pap smears have been normal, you can go every 3 years to get your pap test.

At age 21: Current guidelines recommend the first pap smear at age 21. Pap smears are to be taken every other year until age 30 and then every 3 years thereafter if you have 3 normals in a row and no abnormals for the previous 10 years. Pelvic exams should begin when you are sexually active to monitor for infections, or if you are having problems with menstrual cycles, etc.