Cervical screening
↓ Jump to Cervical screening information in English
If you want more information in Hindi, please click here - यदि आप हिंदी में अधिक जानकारी चाहते हैं, तो कृपया यहां क्लिक करें
If you want more information in Urdu, please click here - اگر آپ اردو میں مزید معلومات چاہتے ہیں تو یہاں کلک کریں۔
If you want more information in Punjabi, please click here - ਜੇਕਰ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੋਰ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹੋ, ਤਾਂ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਇੱਥੇ ਕਲਿੱਕ ਕਰੋ
If you want more information in Bengali, please click here - আপনি বাংলায় আরও তথ্য চাইলে এখানে ক্লিক করুন
If you want more information in Gujrati , please click here - જો તમને ગુજરાતીમાં વધુ માહિતી જોઈતી હોય, તો કૃપા કરીને અહીં ક્લિક કરો
If you want more information in Arabic, please click here - إذا كنت تريد المزيد من المعلومات باللغة العربية ، يرجى النقر هنا
If you want more information in Kurdish, please click here - Heke hûn bêtir agahdarî bi kurdî dixwazin, ji kerema xwe li vir bikirtînin
Cervical Screening
Cervical screening saves approximately 5000 lives annually in the UK.
Cervical screening is offered to people with a cervix, aged 25 to 64 to check the health of cells in the cervix. It is offered every three years for those aged 26 to 49, and every five years from the ages of 50 to 64.
Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter. During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix. The sample is tested for changes to the cells of your cervix. Finding abnormal changes early means they can be monitored or treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
What does cervical screening involve?
Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter.
During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called "high risk" types of HPV.
If these types of HPV are not found, you do not need any further tests.
If these types of HPV are found, the sample is then checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. These can then be treated before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
The nurse or doctor will tell you when you can expect your results letter.
If you're worried about symptoms of cervical cancer such as:
bleeding between periods, during or after sex, or after you have been through the menopause
unusual vaginal discharge
Do not wait for your next cervical screening appointment, see your GP now.