Dear Doctor: I was celibate for years before marriage, then my pap smear was positive for HPV
May 12, 2026
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 61-year-old retired African-American woman. This past week, I just had a Pap smear (I hadn’t had one since 2021) and was told that it was positive for human papillomavirus (HPV). I’m upset because I was celibate from 2021-2024, and then in January 2024, I got married to my
current husband, who lives in Africa. I was there for a week, and we honeymooned and consummated our marriage. I came back home and have since been monogamous. ...read more read less