Cervical Screening and Disease Prevention
Smear Tests
Cervical screening is a test to check
the health of the cervix, which is the lower part of the
womb.
- For many women the test results show
that everything is fine, however for one in 10 women the test shows
changes in the cells that can be caused by many things
- Most of these changes will not lead
to serious conditions some changes may need monitoring or
treatment
Why do I need a smear test?
- Serious conditions can often be
prevented if changes to the health of the cervix are detected early
by regular screening
- Not going for a screening test is one
of the biggest risk factors for developing serious illness
Additional Tests
HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) testing,
what is HPV?
Many women can be infected by the HPV
virus at some time in their life. Often the virus does not
cause any harm and goes away without treatment but for some, HPV
causes genital warts and changes to the cervix. It can occur at any
age.
Chlamydia
Screening
Chlamydia is an infection of the
reproductive organs and can cause infertility or problems during
pregnancy. Most people with Chlamydia do not have any
symptoms and are unaware they have the
infection. It can be detected through a STD check-up or tested for
in combination with a regular smear test.
Benefits of screening at The
Rivers
The NHS Cervical Screening programme
offers screening at routine intervals of 3 to 5 yrs depending on
your age. At The Rivers Hospital screening can be done at more
regular intervals. Smear tests are carried out by an experienced
nurse practitioner.
Dedicated clinics offer flexible
appointment times including out of office hours. In the majority of
cases, tests results are available within 7-10 days and we offer a
follow up appointment to discuss your results. Rapid access to
other specialist services is available for treatments if
required.
How to book?
Appointments for any of the Cervical
Screening tests can be booked through our Customer Enquiry
Department on:
01279 602 644
or through the main outpatients department on:
01279 602 638