The cervical screening test (smear test or PAP test) is designed to check cells from your cervix (neck of the womb) for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). HPV causes 99% of all cervical cancers. If HPV is found in your sample, it will be checked for cell changes.
Cervical screening can stop cervical cancer before it starts.
Cervical screening is offered every 5 years. You may be recalled more often depending on your test results.
Please don’t ignore your invitation. It takes just a few minutes and could save your life.
- First time or nervous? Tell the nurse/doctor. Try to relax and distract your mind.
- Worried about discomfort? Ask the nurse/doctor to use a smaller speculum, and tell them if you are experiencing pain during the procedure.
- Feeling embarrassed? Remember the nurse/doctor does these all the time! Wear a skirt as you can keep this on during the test.
- Don’t want to go alone? Take a friend with you, they can come in the room with you while you have the smear test performed if you wish.
- Undergone FGM/cutting? Tell the nurse/doctor so they can take special care.
- Not sure what to expect? Click on the links below beforehand.
A telephone interpreting service is available to anyone who needs it, or you can bring someone to interpret for you in person. Please tell reception when booking the appointment so that more time can be given to you. This video invites people to attend in 20 different languages.
HPV
HPV is a very common virus that can be serious.
Some types of HPV can cause abnormal changes in cells that sometimes turn into cancer. Other HPV types can cause genital warts. Many types of HPV affect the mouth, throat or genital area. Most people will get some type of HPV in their life but might not realise they have it. This is because HPV infection does not usually cause any symptoms.
HPV infection is usually spread through intimate sexual contact. You do not need to have penetrative sex. HPV lives on the skin in and around the whole genital area. This means that using condoms do not provide complete protection from HPV. You do not need to have sexual contact with a lot of people to get HPV.
HPV vaccine
Evidence shows the HPV vaccine helps protect people from HPV-related cancers. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is offered to every S1 pupil in Scotland.
Getting the vaccine now protects you against future risks. HPV can lead to cancers like:
- head and neck cancers
- cervical cancer
- anogenital cancers – for example, anal, penile (penis) cancer, cancer of the vagina, and cancer of the vulva
A recent study looked at cases of HPV-related cervical cancer in women living in Scotland. It found that there have been no cases in fully vaccinated women who got their first dose of the HPV vaccine at 12-13 years old.
The HPV vaccine also protects you against over 90% of genital wart infections.
