Young women are putting their LIVES at risk by missing their smear tests – this is why you should NEVER skip one
A WORRYING number of young women are putting their lives at risk by missing their smear tests, experts have warned.
NHS statistics show only 62 per cent of 25 to 29-year-olds attended their cervical cancer screenings last year.
Public Health England (PHE) has issued a call to all young women to attend their smear tests, which should be done every three years between the ages of 25 to 49 and every five years after that.
Professor Anne Mackie, PHE director of cervical cancer screening, said: "It is of real concern that fewer women, particularly younger women are not being screened, with over a third of women under 30 not taking the test.
"If women are embarrassed about having the test or worried about what the test results might say, they should talk to their GP who can explain why the test is important."
Smear tests prevent about 70 per cent of cervical cancer deaths, but if everyone attended their screenings that number could be as high as 83 per cent.
If 84 per cent of women attended their smear tests the NHS would also save £10 million per year on treatment, according to PHE.
Cervical cancer develops in the entrance to the womb from the vagina.
In 2014 there were 3,224 new cases - and 890 deaths, which means its the most common form of the disease in women under 35.
Generally, it's caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is contracted through sex.
Two strains of the HPV (HPV 16 and HPV 18) are known to be responsible for most cases, but most women who have them don't develop cervical cancer.
There are often no obvious signs of cervical cancer.
But irregular vaginal bleeding can be a tell-tale sign, especially if it occurs after sex, in between periods or after menopause.
That being said, irregular bleeding can be a sign of a range of other conditions so it's always best to speak to your GP.
In the UK women are recommended to have cervical screenings, or smear tests, every three years between the ages of 25 and 49 and every five years between the ages of 50 to 64.
The smear test is not a test for cancer, it is a test for abnormal cells that could become cancerous.
Detecting these cells and then removing them can help prevent cancer.
Most women’s results show everything is totally normal – the test picks up abnormalities in around one in 20 women.
So what happens during a smear test?
Cervical screening tests can be carried out at a GP practice, a well woman clinic or a sexual health clinic.
It's usually done by a nurse and you can ask for a female nurse.
You're asked to remove your clothes from the waist down, and the nurse or doctor inserts a speculum, which holds the vaginal walls open.
Then, a small, gentle brush is used to collect cells from the surface of the cervix - and you will receive your results within two weeks.
The test can be uncomfortable, but for most women it isn't painful.
MORE ON CERVICAL CANCER
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