What's the difference between a swab & a smear test?

[Sonak]

Thanks for any info.

[Goodsoulette]

a smear test grabs some of cells from your cervix, sort of scratches them away whereas a swab would just be running a swab over the area.

[ethandron]

when they do a smear test, they use a particular piece of equipment designed to collect the cells. as has been said, a swab is just wiped over the area and is collecting something completely different, maybe infection.