smear test 12 weeks postnatal?

[lottielou39]

Hi,
my youngest daughter is now 10 weeks old. I'm due a smear (due in March) and have been told that you have to wait until 12 weeks postnatal for one. Does anyone know why this is, as the nurse didn't seem to know?
I've had on/off bleeding since she was born and the bleeding has only really stopped for 3 or 4 days, then started back up again. I also had a couple of pain episodes (which resolved quickly with painkillers) and doctor said it's probably ovulatory pain, which I'm dubious about. Or hormone related because I breastfed for a few weeks, then stopped. But what else could it be?
I'm keen to get the smear asap cos the bleeding worries me, even though it's only very light and intermittent.
Any advice?

I think smears can be unreliable too soon after pregnancy, as the hormones cause changes in the cells.
The on/off bleeding may be related to stopping breastfeeding - your hormones settling back into a normal menstrual cycle.

It took more than 12 weeks for my cervix to stop looking inflamed after childbirth. You wouldn't really want to try and take a cell sample from a sore cervix if you didn't have to, even if they could work out whether it was benign inflammation versus a possible dyskariotic abnormality.

Mine have happened to coincide with the birth of both my kids & I have had them a few months post natal & found them pretty painful. I'd wait if you can.

The lower oestrogen levels make reading the sample more difficult. The cells are quite small and as rabbitstew says can be tricky to disinguish between the hormonal and inflammatory changes and those which could be abnormal (dykaryosis). We ask to wait until at least 16 wks if possible.

If you're concerned about the bleeding then this should be investigated separate, a 'smear' or Pap test is a screening test, i.e. not used to investigate someone with symptoms.