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Cervical Smear

InHealth Centres offering Cervical Smear:

Newcastle-under-Lyme
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A smear test is a simple examination to test the health of a woman’s cervix. It is a preventative test to identify any abnormalities as early as possible which, if left untreated, may eventually develop into cancer. If abnormal cells are found in many cases they will go back to normal on their own, but sometimes they continue to develop.

Women between the ages of 25 and 65 should have routine cervical smear tests.

This service is available to self-pay patients, and is carried out at our Cornwall House clinic in Staffordshire.  Read more about our private clinics.

 

Before your appointment

Smear tests can only be performed when you are in the middle of your menstrual cycle. Do not have sexual intercourse 24 hours before your smear test. If you are using vaginal creams or pessaries to treat any infections then wait at least a week before you book your smear appointment. Do not use a tampon for at least 2 days before your smear.

 

During your appointment

Our nurse will explain the procedure to you and make you as comfortable as possible. You will be asked to undress from the waist down and lie on your back on the examination couch. The nurse will cover you with a sheet. You will be asked to bend your knees and let them fall open. The nurse will then insert a speculum into the vagina. You may feel some pressure. The nurse will explain each part of the procedure as she goes along. Once your cervix is visible using a tiny brush the nurse will brush off some of the cervical cells from the neck of the womb. The tip of the brush is then put into a glass vial of preservative liquid to be sent to the laboratory for testing. The speculum will then be removed and the examination is complete.

We use liquid based cytology testing which is proven to be more accurate than the traditional glass slide smear. The sample is spun to remove any impurities such as mucus or blood so that only the cells are then looked at under the microscope. Using liquid based cytology also enables the lab to test the same sample for HPV or Chlamydia if required without a further smear sample having to be taken.

 

After your appointment

The nurse who performs your smear will contact you with the results within 5 working days, explain them to you and answer any questions you may have.