[Cytological diagnosis of cervico-uterine cancer in pregnant and puerperal women].

The 23 year experience in the Laboratory of Cytology of the Catholic University with the Papanicolaou (PAP) test in pregnant and puerperal women was analyzed. Six hundred eighty eight cases (1,9%) with abnormal smears were collected from a total of 36,524 women. A cytological diagnosis of invasive carcinoma was made in 8 cases, of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia in 130 cases, of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia in 292 cases, and a "non conclusive" diagnosis was made in 258 cases. In 6 out of the 8 cases with a cytological diagnosis of invasive carcinoma, this diagnosis was confirmed by histology, and in two other cases the histology showed an in situ carcinoma. Histology was negative in only 3 cases with cytological diagnosis of high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia. The PAP test is also highly effective during pregnancy and puerperium, and its rate of false negative cases is low. We suggest to take advantage of the opportunity the prenatal control offers for taking a PAP test.