My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

do I need a smear test?

9 replies

sulalovesbing · 26/04/2016 13:16

I had a baby 8 months ago. I'm not due for a smear until January 2017. Shall I just wait until then? Not been having any weirdness. I was wondering whether they say to have a smear after birth to try and get women who aren't up to date to go?

OP posts:
Report
Amy214 · 26/04/2016 14:26

I had a smear 6weeks after i had my dd but i think thats because i never had one before (20 years old)

Report
FadedRed · 26/04/2016 14:34

You should go when you are next called in January.
There is no reason to have a smear after having a baby. If smear is 'due' then the advice is to wait until a minimum of 12 weeks post natal to minimise the chance of an inadequate result.

Report
Amy214 · 26/04/2016 18:13

Fadedred my result was still normal?

Report
FadedRed · 26/04/2016 20:52

Amy that's fine and you can be reassured that the result was negative.
The 12 week guidance is only to minimise the nuisance of inadequate results. At 6 weeks post natal, many women would still have bleeding/discharge/hormonal changes that puts the chance of occluding the cells that the screeners are looking for, resulting in an inadequate result, which would require a further smear after another three months.
'Inadequate' is the term the Screening service use to mean a smear where the result did not pass their quality control standard. Since the service changed the method used for processing smears (Liquid based cytology rather than the older fixed glass slide method) the inadequate rate has dropped from around 1in 10 to less than 3 in a hundred.

Report
BertieBotts · 26/04/2016 20:53

No I think it's fine to wait, don't worry. It's just because you might have missed one in pregnancy perhaps?

Report
Amy214 · 26/04/2016 21:40

Fadedred thats fine i was a bit worried there Smile

Report
FadedRed · 26/04/2016 21:45

Amy so sorry to have worried you. Flowers

Report
sulalovesbing · 27/04/2016 07:28

No I haven't missed one. I guess I'm a bit anxious too because I had a lletz but i was all cleared and don't have to go back until this coming January so I need to have faith. I'm not having any weirdness and as a pp said unless there is any weirdness they won't see me if I'm not due. I'll just wait for the letter at the end of the year. Thanks everyone.

I posted this twice by the way. Oops!

OP posts:
Report
Amy214 · 27/04/2016 14:05

Fadedred its fine Smile

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.