The Renewal of the National Cervical Screening Program has been implemented.
The two yearly Pap test for people aged 18 to 69 will change to a five yearly Cervical Screening Test for the human papillomavirus (HPV) test for people aged 25 to 74. People will be due for the first Cervical Screening Test two years after their last Pap test. The changes include:
- The Pap test will be replaced with the more accurate Cervical Screening Test
- The time between tests will change from two to five years if the result is normal
- The age at which screening starts will increase from 18 years to 25 years
- People aged 70 to 74 years will be invited to have an exit test
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers. The new Cervical Screening Test is expected to protect up to 30% more women. The test is based on the latest medical and scientific evidence and is more effective at detecting the virus that causes cervical abnormalities at an earlier stage. The test is a simple procedure to check the health of your cervix. It feels the same as the Pap test, but it will test for the HPV.
There are many types of HPV infections and most are cleared naturally by the body’s immune system within one to two years, without causing problems. It is a very common infection which many people have at some point in their lives and never know it as there are usually no symptoms. In rare cases, some types of HPV infection that are not cleared by the body can cause abnormal cervical cell changes.
For further information please make an appointment with your GP or speak with one of our Pro Health Care nurses.
Pro Medical SA