To think in this situation a smear test is a waste of time?

[coffeeforone]

My nurse mentioned recently that smear tests only test for HPV, if you don't test positive for HPV then they won't look closely for pre-cancerous cell changes. Given this info I started wondering. DH and I were both virgins when we met. Assuming we both remain faithful, is it true that we can never contract HPV and so there is no point in the test?

Of course I will never stop being tested regularly (as I can never be 100% sure DH will always be faithful) but it did get me thinking, is this the only risk here?

I think they should run both tests in tandem before changing - as previous posters have said there are people who test negative for HPV but have cervical cancer.

I’ve not read the whole thread but when I had my last smear last year I got a letter back saying as it was negative for HPV they did not do any fiurther testing . Personally I won’t be bothering to have any more smears done unless my circumstances change as I can pee in a pot and get a HPV test done which is way less intrusive and if I’d known that’s all they were going to look for that is what I’d have done this time .

I haven’t been able to find a home urine test for HPV in the uk, only vaginal swab kits.

Gookledygob

Thank you for that! Does that mean then if there’s no HPV, there’s no risk of cervical cancer? That seems too easy (though would be wonderful if true).
I’ve been reassured that cervical cancer isn’t genetic: but having had a different form of cancer, you can’t help but worry when cervical has been in the family.
I’m SO grateful that the HPV vaccination was introduced at just the right time for our daughter (she’s 25 now and protected). I’m going to privately have our son (16) vaccinated in a couple of weeks too.
Please everyone, go for your smears. We’re all told that cervical cancers are generally very slow growing but my mum’s experience, after treatments, was that pre-cancerous cells recurred 3 times in less than 2 years. Thankfully, she was being monitored and was given an hysterectomy after the third time.

princesskatethefirst but there is absolutely no point for me. Slightly different circumstances to the op as I'm a (complete, no contact of any sort)virgin and had the HPV vaccine, so I believe I must have a practically zero chance of having HPV. As the smear test in my area(and soon to be the whole of the UK) is doing primary testing it's a waste of my time, the nurses time and the labs time. My sample will be negative for HPV so won't be looked at further, yes I could develop cervical cancer without symptoms and still be HPV negative but then I'd slip through the net. That's just the way things are going to be now on, not much I can really do about it.

I’d rather do a home vaginal swab than bother with a smear , that said I won’t be bothering with either unless my circumstances change .