Cervical screening. When should a woman start smear tests?
Photo by Peyman Shojaei on Unsplash
A woman’s body is complex, undergoing many changes from puberty to menopause. As girls grow into women, they experience shifts in their bodies, moods, and hormones. In this series of short articles, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Olivia Anne Cassar helps us understand these changes so we can better navigate our health.
The first thing to understand is that smear tests are there to screen for cervical cancer. This cervical screening is a test to check the health of the cervix, which is the lower part of the womb, often called the neck of the uterus.
This is why smear tests should start once a woman becomes sexually active. So, if you have a daughter, it’s best to have a chat about this once they enter their teens, as there is a trend that young people are having sex earlier than they did in the past. While they do get sex education at school, it’s good to talk to her about sexual health. What can also help is taking her with you to a smear so she can start familiarising herself with the process.
“Smear tests should start once a woman becomes sexually active. So, if you have a daughter, it’s best to have a chat about this once they enter their teens, as there is a trend that young people are having sex earlier than they did in the past.”
- Olivia Anne Cassar
Under the National Health Service, smear tests start being offered from the age of 25, every three years. But it is recommended to start them earlier in case of early sexual activity. Most people in Malta do the test privately every year. During the private visit, the gynaecologist usually also carries out an ultrasound to check the health of the ovaries and uterus and check for things like cysts and fibroids.
Most cervical cancer cases are linked with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), which are a common sexually transmitted infection. HPV can easily be prevented by taking the HPV vaccine. The HPV vaccine is part of the National Immunisation Schedule Programme.
If you require further information, you can contact Primary Health on 21231231 or send an email to immunisation@gov.mt.
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