How accurate is a Pap smear?
A single Pap smear is a reliable screening tool, and repeating it regularly makes the overall detection of cervical changes very effective.
No single test is perfect, but the Pap smear is a well-established, effective screening method.
Because screening is repeated over time, any change that a single test misses is very likely caught at the next one.
Combining the Pap smear with an HPV test further improves accuracy.