Has anyone done the self sample HPV swap as an alternative to a smear test?
Superdrug offer one (looks like a Covid swab for your hoohar!) for £48. If you are negative then you don't need a traditional smear. Apparently a smear is checked for HPV and if negative they don't even look for abnormal cells.
I find smear tests horrific, I have a medical condition (LS) which makes the stretching with the speculum agonising, the embarrassment doesn't phase me and I can tolerate discomfort/pain, but a smear (for me) goes beyond that.
They have trialled it with 30k women in London - shame I'm in the North!