This monthApril · Cervical Cancer Awareness MonthThinPrep Pap Test
Overdue for a Pap test?
The sample takes seconds.
ThinPrep is a liquid-based Pap test. Dr. Charles Rockhead collects the sample in person at 9 Devon Road, Kingston, as part of a gynaecology visit. Screening can find changes in the cells of the cervix early, when they are simpler to treat.
No obligation · Every consultation is in-person with Dr. Rockhead.
ThinPrep Pap Test at Oshun at a glance
Dr. Rockhead
Every consultation is with him
In person
Consultation before anything is booked
In writing
Your quote, given at consultation
No obligation
You decide after the consultation
9 Devon Road
Kingston, Jamaica
Questions answered privately
What is a ThinPrep Pap test?
ThinPrep is a liquid-based Pap test: a screening test that checks cells from the cervix for changes that could become cervical cancer.
The cells are collected with a small brush during a pelvic examination and rinsed into a vial of preservative liquid. The laboratory spreads them in a thin, even layer and examines them under a microscope.
The same sample can also be tested for high-risk HPV, with no second collection.
The words, explained
- Cervix
- The lower part of the uterus, at the top of the vagina.
- HPV
- Human papillomavirus, a common virus. A lasting infection with a high-risk type causes almost all cervical cancers.
- Colposcopy
- A magnified look at the cervix. It is a common next step after an abnormal result.
Four things that are true of every visit
Care by an OB/GYN
Every plan at Oshun is reviewed by a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynaecologist. Dr. Rockhead is a physician first.
30 years caring for women
Three decades as a practising OB/GYN at Amadeo Medical Group, the parent clinical practice.
In person, first
A consultation with Dr. Rockhead comes before anything is booked. You decide afterwards, with no obligation.
Private, one to one
The care team answers your questions privately on WhatsApp. There is no obligation.
At a glance
The short answers first. The detail is on the pages linked further down.
How it feels
Brief discomfort from the speculum and the brush. Collecting the sample takes seconds.
How long a visit takes
The sample takes 5 to 10 minutes, within a pelvic-exam visit of 30 to 45 minutes.
Time off afterwards
None. Light spotting for a day is possible.
Where
At Oshun, 9 Devon Road, Kingston, as part of the annual gynaecological exam.
Who it suits
Cervical screening: finding changes in the cells of the cervix before they become serious.
When to wait
Nothing rules the test out. Heavy bleeding on the day can make the sample hard to read, so the visit may be moved.
The visit, step by step
The consultation
You meet Dr. Rockhead in person at 9 Devon Road before anything is booked. He reviews your medical history with you. You leave with a written quote.
Before your visit
Book outside your period where you can. No douching, vaginal medicines or intercourse for 48 hours before the test.
At the visit
During the pelvic examination Dr. Rockhead uses a small brush to collect cells from the cervix. The brush is rinsed into a vial of preservative liquid, which goes to the laboratory.
Afterwards
Carry on as normal. If the result is normal, your next test is at the usual interval. If it is not, Dr. Rockhead reviews it with you and writes the next step.
What a Pap test checks, and what it doesn't.
April is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in Jamaica.
A Pap test takes a small sample of cells from the cervix and looks for changes that could become cervical cancer if they were left alone. Found early, those changes can be treated long before they turn into anything serious.
It is a test for the cervix only. It does not screen for ovarian or uterine cancer. There is no routine screening test for those, so tell your doctor about symptoms such as unusual bleeding, bloating or pelvic pain.
Almost all cervical cancer is caused by long-lasting infection with high-risk types of HPV, a very common virus. Where it is indicated, HPV testing is done alongside the Pap. If a result comes back abnormal, the next step may be a repeat test or colposcopy, a magnified look at the cervix, which Dr. Rockhead also performs at Oshun.
- The test
- ThinPrep, a liquid-based Pap test. The sample is collected during a pelvic examination.
- How often
- It depends on your age and your past results. Dr. Rockhead will tell you your interval at the visit.
- If something shows
- Most abnormal results are not cancer. They are a reason to look more closely, with a repeat test or colposcopy.
Where to start at Oshun
Each page has the detail, from how to prepare to what to expect afterwards.
ThinPrep (Pap)
A liquid-based cervical screening test, collected by Dr. Rockhead.
Read more →Annual Gynaecological Exam
History, breast and pelvic examination, and cervical screening when it is due.
Read more →Colposcopy
A magnified examination of the cervix when a result needs a closer look.
Read more →The same physician, from first question to follow-up
Dr. Charles Rockhead, Medical Director — Oshun Cosmetic Services, Kingston.
Dr. Charles Rockhead
Medical Director · Board-Certified OB/GYN · 30+ years of practice
Dr. Charles Rockhead is a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with more than thirty years of practice in Kingston. He is the Medical Director of Oshun Cosmetic Services and the founding physician of Amadeo Medical Group, the parent clinical practice.
What patients ask
Can I have the test during my period?
Is ThinPrep different from an ordinary Pap smear?
Can HPV testing be done from the same sample?
What if my result is abnormal?
Does the test check for every cancer?
Is it covered by insurance?
How soon will I get my result?
How often do I need a Pap test?
This page is general information, not a diagnosis or medical advice. Whether a treatment suits you is decided at a consultation with Dr. Rockhead.
The visit you keep moving to next month.
Message the concierge and we'll find a time that suits you. You'll be in great hands with Dr. Rockhead's team.
No obligation · Every consultation is in-person with Dr. Rockhead.