Why cervical cancer screening drops after menopause, and why that’s dangerous

What if the moment women stop seeing their gynecologist is exactly when their cervical cancer risk matters most? Nenrot S. Gopep, a physician and public health researcher, joins the show to discuss her KevinMD article, "Menopause and the drop in cervical cancer screening." Her research found that postmenopausal women are 24 percent less likely to receive a Pap smear compared to premenopausal women, even after controlling for insurance, age, and socioeconomic status. You will hear why the persistent myth that cervical cancer is only a concern for sexually active women is keeping older patients from getting screened, and why HPV can lie dormant for years before developing into cancer. Gopep explains how the shift away from gynecologists after menopause places greater responsibility on primary care physicians to continue screening through age 65. She also discusses the expanded availability of the HPV vaccine, what Australia's elimination of cervical cancer teaches us about what is possible, and the specific questions patients should be asking their doctors about screening and vaccination. If you or someone you care about has put off cervical cancer screening after menopause, this episode could change that decision.

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