Are you worried about having your smear test? Have you been putting it off? Please read on…
Smear tests are important to check the health of your cervix. Your cervix is the neck of the womb and is at the top of the vagina. As you can’t see it, these regular checks are important to detect any changes. If you want to know what a smear test is, how it is done and when you should have one please follow this link:
Cervical screening – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Some people are worried about having their smear test. We get it, we have to have them too! Maybe the last one was painful, maybe you feel embarrassed. Maybe you can’t get time off work or there is no one to help look after your children. There are lots of reasons for putting it off, but there is one BIG reason to get it done –
Smear Tests Save Lives
Let’s try to address some of the concerns.
‘Smear tests are painful’
Smear tests use a speculum – a plastic device that holds the walls of the vagina back so the cervix can be seen. This can feel like a little stretch inside but is not painful. The sample is taken with a soft plastic brush and most women feel very little when this is taken. In the past a hard wooden spatula was used – this is not the case anymore and taking the sample is usually not uncomfortable.
‘Having a smear test is embarrassing’
It is normal to feel embarrassed when you have a smear test – we spend all our lives keeping that area private! Practice nurses are highly trained professionals and will do all they can to put you at ease. There is a screen to get changed behind and you will be given a disposable cover to protect your dignity. Please tell the nurse if you are feeling anxious, they will be happy to support you to have this important screening test.
‘I can’t get time off work’
Please speak to the reception team who will do their best to find you a suitable time to come and see the nurse.
‘Smears are for older women’
Cervical cancer affects all ages, but is the most common cancer in women under 35. Anyone with a cervix aged between 25 and 64 should have a regular smear test. Not attending smear tests is one of the biggest risk factors for developing the disease.
‘I had the HPV vaccine so I don’t need smear tests’
The HPV vaccine has been offered to girls in school since 2008 and is 70% effective in preventing cervical cancer. Therefore, those who have been vaccinated are far less likely to develop cervical cancer, but as it does not offer 100% protection smear tests are still important.
Finally, if you are still unsure, please book an appointment just to talk it through. You don’t have to have it done there and then, we can schedule it when you are ready. Our nurses are more than happy to have an informal chat with you to address any other concerns you have.