Pap Smear Test

Many of my readers ask me about how often a woman over 50 should have a Pap smear. Here is the short version for England. The NHS invites women aged between 50 and 64 for cervical screening every 5 years. Most people are no longer invited at 65 if recent tests are normal. If your sample shows you have HPV, you may be called back sooner. Just a quick word on terminology. "Pap smear" is the US term. In the UK, the same test is called cervical screening, or smear test, and looks

One of the most pervasive myths about women’s health. You leave your smear test appointment congratulating yourself on having “had your STI check up”. When in reality, you did not get checked for STIs at all. Understanding the difference could be important for your health. A Pap smear (cervical screening) and an STI test are not the same thing. Sure they can be done on the same day, in the same clinic room, by the same doctor and even use a similar-looking tool. But they do n

Cervical cancer screening looks very different than it did decades ago. Two tests stand at the forefront of preventative care: the Pap smear and the HPV test. They both help prevent cervical cancer, but in different ways. It’s easy to misunderstand the tests or think they’re the same. However, they’re not. By learning what each test does, when to get it and how they differ, you can make educated choices about your health. Here’s what you need to know. What Is a Pap Smear?...