Regular cervical smear tests every three years are recommended for women, if they have ever been sexually active, from the age of 25 until they turn 70.
Having regular cervical smears can reduce a woman’s risk of developing cervical cancer by 90 percent.
Ropata Health offer a safe environment for cervical smear tests.
Cervical cancer is highly treatable if detected early. To ensure you are safe we recommend having your regular cervical screening test (women aged 25 – 70 years) and any follow up treatment if required, and also having your HPV immunisation.
Screening and immunisation are the most effective protection against cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer information
Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus passed on by sexual contact.
Most people will come into contact with HPV at some stage during their life. Most HPV infections clear by themselves, but some high-risk types can cause cell changes on the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer 10 to 20 years after infection. Other types can cause genital warts, but these strains do not lead to cancer.
A woman’s best protection against developing cervical cancer is having regular cervical smear tests. A cervical smear test is a screening test to find abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.
HPV testing may sometimes be carried out to see if certain high-risk types of HPV are present in the cervix. This helps to define the risk of cervical cancer.
Immunisation is now available to protect women against two common types of HPV (types 16 and 18) that cause around 70 percent of cervical cancer.
The vaccine does not protect against all HPV types; therefore, women who have been immunised must still continue to have smear tests.
Smear tests, save lives
Since the national screening programme started, the number of women who die of cervical cancer has dropped by nearly two thirds. And if every woman you know got tested regularly, the number could drop even lower.
Who should have smear tests?
If you:
- are a woman or trans or non-binary person with a cervix
- are aged between 25 and 69 (From November 2019 the start age changed from 20 to 25 – find out more).
- have ever been sexually active
then you should have regular smear tests.
This includes if you:
- are immunised against HPV
- are single
- only have sex with women
- have a disability
- have been through menopause
- are no longer having sex.
If you have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) check with your health provider if you still need to be screened.