Home HPV tests won’t replace the ob-gyn Skip to content Subscribe today Every print subscription comes with full digital access Subscribe Now Menu All Topics Health Humans Anthropology Health & Medicine Archaeology Psychology View All Life Animals Plants Ecosystems Paleontology Neuroscience Genetics Microbes View All Earth Agriculture Climate Oceans Environment View All Physics Materials Science Quantum Physics Particle Physics View All Space Astronomy Planetary Science Cosmology View All Magazine Menu All Stories Multimedia Reviews Puzzles Collections Educator Portal Century of Science Unsung characters Coronavirus Outbreak Newsletters Investors Lab About SN Explores Our Store SIGN IN Donate Home INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921 SIGN IN Search Open search Close search Home INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921 All Topics Earth Agriculture Climate Oceans Environment Humans Anthropology Health & Medicine Archaeology Psychology Life Animals Plants Ecosystems Paleontology Neuroscience Genetics Microbes Physics Materials Science Quantum Physics Particle Physics Space Astronomy Planetary Science Cosmology Tech Computing Artificial Intelligence Chemistry Math Science & Society All Topics Health Humans Humans Anthropology Health & Medicine Archaeology Psychology Recent posts in Humans Chemistry Machine learning streamlines the complexities of making better proteins By Skyler Ware5 hours ago Health & Medicine Home HPV tests won’t replace the ob-gyn By Jamie Ducharme10 hours ago Artificial Intelligence Real-world medical questions stump AI chatbots By Tina Hesman SaeyFebruary 17, 2026 Life Life Animals Plants Ecosystems Paleontology Neuroscience Genetics Microbes Recent posts in Life Paleontology A mouth built for efficiency may have helped the earliest bird fly By Jay Bennett8 hours ago Animals Some dog breeds carry a higher risk of breathing problems By Jake BuehlerFebruary 18, 2026 Animals Regeneration of fins and limbs relies on a shared cellular playbook By Elizabeth PennisiFebruary 18, 2026 Earth Earth Agriculture Climate Oceans Environment Recent posts in Earth Climate Snowball Earth might have had a dynamic climate and open seas By Michael Marshall7 hours ago Oceans Evolution didn’t wait long after the dinosaurs died By Elie DolginFebruary 13, 2026 Earth Earth’s core may hide dozens of oceans of hydrogen By Nikk OgasaFebruary 10, 2026 Physics Physics Materials Science Quantum Physics Particle Physics Recent posts in Physics Physics Physicists dream up ‘spacetime quasicrystals’ that could underpin the universe By Emily ConoverFebruary 17, 2026 Physics A precise proton measurement helps put a core theory of physics to the test By Emily ConoverFebruary 11, 2026 Physics The only U.S. particle collider shuts down – so a new one may rise By Emily ConoverFebruary 6, 2026 Space Space Astronomy Planetary Science Cosmology Recent posts in Space Astronomy This inside-out planetary system has astronomers scratching their heads By Adam MannFebruary 12, 2026 Space Artemis II is returning humans to the moon with science riding shotgun By Lisa GrossmanFebruary 4, 2026 Physics A Greek star catalog from the dawn of astronomy, revealed By Adam MannJanuary 30, 2026 Column Health & Medicine Home HPV tests won’t replace the ob-gyn Annual well-woman visits were never just about the Pap smear By Jamie Ducharme 10 hours ago Even for those who now choose to screen for HPV at home, regular ob-gyn visits remain an important part of reproductive health care. Jack Jeffries/Cavan/Getty Images Plus Share this:Share Share via email (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Share on X (Opens in new window) X Print (Opens in new window) Print Listen to this article This is a human-written story voiced by AI. Got feedback? Take our survey . (See our AI policy here .) These days, many people can skip the dreaded Pap smear in favor of a far less invasive and more private way to screen for cervical cancer: disposable, DIY swabs that can be used to test for high-risk variants of HPV, the virus responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. In January, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) said many people can opt for self-testing, either at home or in a health care setting, rather than undergoing uncomfortable exams with a clinician. Home testing for HPV, short for human papillomavirus, is a big step forward, but don’t lose your gynecologist’s number yet. There are reasons to make an ob-gyn appointment that have nothing to do with cervical cancer, says Jeanne Conry, an ob-gyn who previously chaired the Women’s Preventive Services Initiative, an HRSA-supported coalition that makes recommendations about women’s health care. “If we see ourselves only as the Pap smear specialists,” she says of ob-gyns, “we have failed [patients].” Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday. Cervical cancer screening is vital. Research has long suggested that most people diagnosed with the disease are un- or under-screened, which is common. As of 2021, about a quarter of U.S. women weren’t up-to-date, according to the American Cancer Society. That’s where at-home HPV tests come in. This style of discreet testing has the potential to boost screening rates for some groups of women, including those who were previously behind on testing. Someone who gets an abnormal result on an at-home test will still likely need a follow-up exam. And people at high risk for developing cervical cancer, including those who have compromised immune systems or have been diagnosed with a precancerous condition, should still get regular screenings from a doctor. So should people in their 20s — a decade when sexually transmitted HPV infections are common and usually harmless, explains Amanda Bruegl, a gynecologic oncologist at the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine in Portland. Though some research suggests self-collection works about as well as clinician-led HPV testing, the American Cancer Society still votes for letting your doctor do it, if possible. Conry agrees with that stance — in large part because “a woman coming into the office to see a clinician is going to get everything taken care of, plus the cervical cancer screen.” The average well-woman visit involves much more than a Pap smear —which, even before the HRSA’s latest guideline, most patients don’t need annually. During one of these appointments, an ob-gyn might also perform a breast exam, provide consultation about birth control and family planning, screen for other STIs, talk about menstruation or menopause and more, says Colleen Denny, a New York–based ob-gyn and a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “We have 20 minutes to talk about all the things that have happened to you in your reproductive life all year,”
Home HPV tests won’t replace the ob-gyn
