Smear Test/ PAP smear Test BelfasT
What is the Cervical smear test?
Smear tests, also known as a PAP test or PAP smear, are a form of screening for disease of the cervix before cancer develops. Having a regular smear can prevent cancer of the cervix developing by detecting abnormal cells or pre-cancerous cells and starting treatment early.
It can also pick-up cancer of the cervix and the presence of the Human papilloma virus (HPV) which is associated with cancer of the cervix.
If you are not sexually active you may chose not to have a smear test given that it is unlikely that you will develop cervical cancer without exposure to the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) through sexual intercourse; however, the UK government offers it to all women from the age of 25 years to 65 to screen for cancer of the cervix.
Smear tests look for the presence of HPV and also look at the shape of the cells on the cervix to see whether they are normal, slightly abnormal, precancerous, or in some cases cancerous.
It is important to have regular smear tests as this is the only way to pick up cervical cancer early and then start treatment early.
Some women put off having a smear because they are embarrassed or think it may be painful.
What is the Smear test procedure at Vitalis Health?
At Vitalis Health all of our female doctors perform smears.
The doctor will do her best to ensure you are at ease and comfortable before performing the smear test. We usually have some music playing and essential oils diffusing the room to help relax you.
If you would like a chaperone- someone to come with you and be present during the smear test- just let us know. Eiither you can bring someone with you to the smear test or one of our female staff with be present also.
All smears are performed by an experienced female doctor and take five to ten minutes to do
The smear test cannot be taken if you are menstruating (having your period), or if you have used a pessary to treat thrush. It’s best to book your appointment between periods.
Please note, if you have had a previous smear with the NHS within the last 12 WEEKS, you cannot have a repeat smear at Vitalis Health.
Collecting a sample within this time frame can result in a false negative, by not being able to collect sufficient cell material.
All of our smear test results are back within 1 week and emailed directly to you.
What age can I have a cervical smear?
In the Uk, cervical smear screening by the government is carried out every 3 years from age 25 to 49, and every 5 years from age 50 to 64 years of age.
Whereas in other countries like Germany the smear test is performed annually from age 20 to 34 year of age.
But you can have a smear privately in the UK from the age of 20 if you are sexually active and you wish monitor the health of your cervix, or if you have any symptoms that suggest infection of the cervix or possible disease.
If you are not sexually active smears are generally not recommended unless you have any symptoms of like unusual vaginal discharge, bleeding after between periods or pelvic pain.
Why have a private cervical smear test?
Someone in your family may have had cervical cancer and so you may want more regular check-ups to know your cervix is in good health.
Or, you may want a smear done before the age 25 if you are sexually active or have any other symptoms of disease of the cervix such as painful sexual intercourse, bleeding after sexual intercourse, pain in you lower pelvis , bleeding between periods, or vaginal discharge that your are worried about.
Maybe you would prefer a more relaxed and comfortable setting where you have time to talk to the doctor.
Or maybe you need an appointment to suit your schedule
What does a smear test consist of?
The cervix is viewed using a plastic speculum to open the vaginal canal.
A gel is used to make the process easy and pain-free, though it can be uncomfortable for many women. In these cases the doctor will ask you to breath deeply to relax, which helps relax the muscles in the vaginal canal. When you are relaxed a small brush is passed towards the cervix and brushed over the end of the cervix to collect some surface cells.
The cells will be sent to the laboratory to look for both the Human papilloma virus and to look at the shape and type of cells that are present.
In some parts of the UK only HPV is tested and if this is present then the cells are properly examined for abnormality.
We feel it is more thorough to perform both tests on the smear to ensure that the cells from the cervix also look normal even if HPV is not present.
Vitalis health provides a personal, discreet service for sexual health concerns. A full screening service is available for all STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) and these STI/std tests can be carried out on the same day as your examination.
Results for bloods tests for HIV and hepatitis B and C are usually back the next day. Swab tests or urine tests for chlamydia and gonorrhoea take 2-3 days from the time they arrive in the lab.
Genital warts can be treated by freezing during the same appointment and home treatment prescribed.