What Brittany Chaffee wishes she’d known about abnormal pap smears and HPV

Brittany Chaffee was in her mid-twenties when she was told her pap smear was abnormal, and she needed to come back for a biopsy. She found a stairwell at work and cried her heart out, filled with anxiety. What followed was nearly a decade of abnormal pap smear results, painful procedures, and almost $8,000 in bills. She learned the hard way about HPV, and procedures like a colposcopy and a LEEP, and pushes back against the shame and fear associated with women's health conditions.

This episode is one from our archive and was first released in 2024. Get the background to this episode by reading and subscribing to our newsletter: https://overlookedpodcast.kit.com/posts

What to listen to next:

HPV and the at-home screening test that could save your life, with Dr Anita Lim:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hpv-cervical-cancer-and-the-at-home-screening-test/id1706322130?i=1000674852146

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Overlooked tells powerful stories about women's health conditions that don't get enough attention. The show is hosted by Golda Arthur, an audio journalist and producer. Learn more about the show here: www.overlookedpod.com

DISCLAIMER What you hear and read on ‘Overlooked’ is for general information purposes only and represents the opinions of the host and guests. The content on the podcast and website should not be taken as medical advice. Every person’s body is unique, so please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions that may arise.

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