Health report updates over the past few weeks may have left a large number of women in a state of confusion.

Last week, the United States Preventive Services Task Force released a statement recommending that women begin screenings for breast cancer at the age of 50, not at 40 as had been previously suggested by both health care professionals and the American Cancer Society.

A few days later, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a report suggesting that women need not receive their first Pap smear, a cervical cancer screening, until the age of 21.

It was also stated that subsequent screenings could occur less frequently than previously recommended – every two years for women under the age of 30, and every three years for those above, instead of annually.

Both statements were released to prevent unnecessary testing in the medical community; however, according to statements from both organizations the timing was purely coincidental.

The reports have resulted in debate from cancer prevention agencies and other medical professionals who claim that these recommendations will avert women from detecting cancer at earlier stages.

According to Susan Kost, program manager of United Health Services Breast Center, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recommendations are far from being finite.

“It’s not totally a decided issue,” Kost said. “Not everyone has had time to put out statements.”

In an e-mail statement from Ingrid Husisian, director of public communications for Planned Parenthood of South Central New York, she explained that Planned Parenthood’s actions when it comes to these tests are based on determinations from the American Cancer Society, who as of now has remained unchanged in its stances.

“As we evaluate the new recommendations, our protocols, based on the American Cancer Society’s recommendations, will remain the same: annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 and breast self-examination as an option for women beginning in their 20s,” Husisian said.

Both the American Cancer Society and the ACOG have spoken out against the statements. According to reports from The New York Times, it has been speculated that these determinations against mammograms have been made in a means to save money in President Obama’s health care plan.

United Health Services has decided not to advise patients against mammogram screenings directly, according to Kost.

“Women should always look at their own personal risks,” Kost said.

While both mammogram screenings and Pap tests do affect women significantly, the two are not directly interrelated.

Cervical cancer is a highly common sexually transmitted disease among both women and men and is caused by strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). According to the ACOG, the number of people diagnosed with cervical cancer has dropped over 50 percent in the past 30 years, largely due to the Pap test.

However, the ACOG has determined that unnecessary procedures on the cervix may lead to infertility later on down the road.

Currently, both the American Cancer Society and the National Cervical Cancer Coalition support the ACOG’s findings.

While Planned Parenthood is evaluating the new statements released by the ACOG, no immediate changes to its procedure plans will be made.

“Planned Parenthood carefully reviews new medical guidelines and recommendations from organizations like American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology before making any change to its protocol,” Husisian said. “As we evaluate the new recommendations, our protocols will remain the same, beginning with initial Pap screening at age 21, or three years after becoming sexually active.”