In years past, it was recommended for women to visit their OBGYN every year for a pap smear, as well as a pelvic exam and a breast exam. The pap smear is a screening test for cervical screening. Recently, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) has updated those recommendations.
Women should still visit their OBGYN office at least once a year, but they no longer recommend that women receive a pap smear annually. Cervical Cancer Research has taught physicians how to better understand the disease and how it develops, allowing them to increase the amount of time between these screenings. There is also an additional screening test type available now, the HPV test.