Book your smears!
It’s uncomfortable, it’s a little embarrassing and no one enjoys having them done but it could save your life.
I’m in my 30s now and have had around 4/5 smear tests, they never get any easier but having them has raised an issue which we can keep an eye on and could possibly save my life and prevent me from developing cervical cancer.
My first smear was perfectly normal and wasn’t anything to worry about however my following smear showed I had HPV which is one of the biggest reasons behind many developing cancer. I now have yearly appointments with gynaecology to keep an eye on whats going on and to make sure that there’s no progression or cancerous cells. Having HPV doesn’t mean you will definitely develop cancer or cancerous cells, however it increases the risk. Without my smear, I wouldn’t have any idea that I had it, so wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on it.
Many people feel apprehensive about booking their appointments for their smear tests however the benefits definitely far outweigh the momentary discomfort and slight embarrassment.
You are usually invited for your first smear test at the age of twenty five or just before you turn twenty five which I personally think is way too late. I believe as soon as you are legal to be sexually active you should be invited for it. People under the age of twenty five still get cervical cancer, so why are we waiting until they are twenty five to start testing them. As soon as you’re invited to do so by your GP you should definitely be booking in. If you haven’t heard anything from your GP practice then ring them yourselves. Putting it off only puts your health at risk. If you could do something to reduce the risk of getting an illness which could kill you, why wouldn’t you?!
