Cervical Screening (smears)

Sometimes called a Smear Test, Pap Smear or Pap Test – cervical screening is a 5-minute test. It stops up to 75% of all cervical cancer from developing and saves an amazing 5000 lives a year in the UK.

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is a test to check if your cervix is infected by HPV (the human papillomavirus) and if there are any abnormal changes to the cells of your cervix caused by the virus. Catching abnormal changes early means that they can be treated, preventing these cells from becoming cancerous.

Non-urgent advice: Who is eligible for cervical screening?

This screening is offered free of charge on the NHS and for GP at Hand patients with a cervix, aged 25 to 64.

In the UK, you are automatically invited to attend cervical screening:
– For the first time around the age of 25
– Every 3 years thereafter, until age 49
– Every 5 years between age 50 and 64

You will receive a letter or email inviting you to attend your cervical screening.
Received your invite? Book your cervical screening here

When you book an appointment, ideally try to select a day that you are unlikely to be on your period. (Being on your period can affect the sample collected from the cervix.)

Non-urgent advice: What is the cervix?

You’re not alone if you haven’t a clue what the cervix is.

A survey by Jo’s Trust found that almost half of women do not know that the cervix is the neck of the womb and 1 in 6 couldn’t name a single function of the cervix.

The cervix is found inside the vagina and it has the following roles:
It is the passageway between your womb and vagina
Your cervix opens slightly to allow menstrual blood out every time you have a period
The cervix is also responsible for keeping a baby inside your womb. It opens when giving birth through your vagina

What happens on the day

On the day of your cervical screening the nurse will explain the test. She will then ask you to go behind a privacy screen and undress from the waist down, removing trousers and underwear. If wearing a skirt or dress, you can keep these on and just roll them up.

There is usually a paper sheet or towel to cover yourself with from the waist down. If there isn’t and you would like one, don’t be shy to ask or feel free to take a scarf/pashmina with you on the day.

  1. The nurse will come over when you are ready. She’ll ask you to bend your knees, bring your heels towards your bottom with feet together and then relax your knees apart to as far as is comfortable for you. If you are uncomfortable in this position – let her know and she can suggest another position.
  2. Next, she will switch on a light and, with medical gloves on, she’ll gently insert a plastic instrument called a speculum. The speculum helps her to see your cervix. You might feel some pressure when the speculum opens but this shouldn’t hurt.
  3. The nurse then passes a little brush through the speculum. She brushes it gently in circles against your cervix. This is how the sample is taken. It does not hurt but can feel a bit tickly.
  4. The speculum is gently closed and removed. This is the end of the examination and you can get dressed.

The brush is then placed into a liquid solution. This is shaken to release the cervical cells into the specimen pot. The pot is sent off to the lab to be examined under a microscope.

Your result will be posted to you within 2 weeks. If you do not receive your result, please get in touch with us.

What your results mean

The test first checks for HPV infection. If you test positive for HPV, the same sample will then be looked at under a microscope for abnormal cell changes.

You will receive one of the following results:

Most people will receive this result. You will be invited for screening again in 3 to 5 years (depending on your age).
This result means that there is HPV in the cells of your cervix but when those cells were looked at under a microscope- they did not look abnormal.

80% of us will be infected by HPV at some point in our lives. Most people clear the infection off naturally, so you will be asked to come back again (usually within a year) to check if the HPV is still there and whether the cells look abnormal or not.
This result means that HPV was found and there are also changes to the cells of your cervix.

You will be invited to have a colposcopy. This is a test that feels similar to cervical screening, however the healthcare professional examining you will also use a special microscope to look more closely at your cervix.

Abnormal cells can then be treated, preventing them from turning into cancer.

Page last reviewed: 2 December 2024