Cervical screening tests: Everything you need to know

While they’re not a lot of fun, cervical screening tests (previously well known as a Pap test or Pap smear) are an essential part of looking after your health and wellbeing.

Having regular cervical screening tests ensures any issues are treated quickly, helping to prevent long-term conditions.

It’s recommended women and people with a cervix who are 25 to 75 years-old have a screening test every 5 years.¹ You can also ask your GP for one if you’re concerned or have symptoms.

A cervical screening test is a quick, simple test that is looking for the human papillomavirus (HPV). Most cervical cancers are caused by HPV, which is a common sexually transmitted infection which usually has no symptoms and goes away by itself.

You can have the test done at your GP, or at a sexual health clinic. When booking your appointment, be clear that you want a cervical screening test. Some people prefer to see a female doctor or nurse, so if that’s important to you, make sure you ask when you book your appointment.

During the test you will be in a private room with your healthcare provider. You will be asked to undress from the waist down only, so it’s best to wear pants or a skirt.

You will be asked to lay down on your back with the ankles together, and gently let your knees fall apart.

Your doctor will then insert a speculum into your cervix to hold it open so that a sample can be taken using a swab. This may be uncomfortable or cold but should not be painful. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience any pain or severe discomfort.

There is also an option of self-collection, which involves inserting a swab into your vagina to collect your own sample. Talk to your doctor about this option if this is something that might work for you.

Once the test is complete, the sample will be sent for testing.

If your test needs follow-up or comes back as ‘abnormal’, you may be asked to repeat the test.

When you have a cervical screening test, a ‘normal’ result means no HPV is present and you don’t have to do the test again for 5 years.

If the results are unclear or raise any concerns, you may be asked to repeat the test in 6 weeks or 12 months’ time. This doesn’t mean you have cervical cancer.

Some abnormal results are simply because the test wasn’t processed correctly.

Other abnormal results mean you may have contracted HPV and your doctors want to make sure your body can clear the infection by itself.

Most abnormal cells are not cervical cancer and can be treated quickly and painlessly.

The aim of cervical screening tests is to prevent cervical cancer by looking for HPV, the cause of cervical cancer in 99% of cases.

Here are the different test results and what you can expect.

You don’t have an HPV infection and it’s safe to wait 5 years before your next test.

This is considered an ‘unsatisfactory test result’. Your sample was not able to be processed properly, perhaps because the number of cells collected was too small. Waiting at least 6 weeks will allow the cells in your cervix to renew, so another sample can be taken.²

Although you do have an HPV infection, it’s likely that your body will naturally clear it. Doing another test will allow doctors to make sure the infection has cleared up and that your cells have not continued to grow unusually. If the infection has cleared, you won’t need another test for 5 years. If it hasn’t, you’ll likely be referred to a specialist for further treatment.

You may have a type of HPV infection that needs more investigation or there have been changes to the cells that may need treatment. Bear in mind it’s rare for cancer to develop after an HPV infection, and even if it does, it takes a long time. So, you’re one step ahead by catching it early.

The word ‘abnormal’ can feel alarming. However, a result like this simply means the cells on your cervix appear different. It doesn’t automatically mean you have cervical cancer.

Abnormalities can usually be treated easily and successfully if they’re detected early, which is why regular screening after the age of 25 is so important.

Depending on the degree of the changes in your cervix, your doctor might recommend you have a follow-up test in 12 months for monitoring or a colposcopy to examine your cervix. A biopsy may be performed during the colposcopy.

There are 2 degrees of cervical abnormality:

• low grade. This means the abnormality is only slight, and that HPV infection is present, but it’s likely your body will be able to clear up the infection by itself
• high grade. In this case, greater cervical changes have been detected, indicating the immune system hasn’t cleared the HPV infection. This needs to be followed up and treated (when appropriate) to make sure it doesn’t develop into cervical cancer.³

If you have any questions or concerns about cervical screening tests or results, speak to your GP immediately.