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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What's the point of a smear test of if I'm HPV negative?

31 replies

needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:24

...and not sexually active? Is it just a waste of NHS appointments/resource? If they aren't going to actually look at the sample, only just test it for HPV?!

OP posts:
Sarahcoggles · 16/03/2022 23:25

How do you know you’re HPV negative?

betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:26

how do you know you’re HPV negative? Surely that’s the point…

Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:28

From a previous smear tests. Sample confirmed HPV negative, so they wont look at the cells for changes.

OP posts:
betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:29

@needabreak5

From a previous smear tests. Sample confirmed HPV negative, so they wont look at the cells for changes.
You’ve massively misunderstood how HPV works. You can be negative at one smear and positive at the next, even if you haven’t been sexually active in that gap
FiremanSid · 16/03/2022 23:29

There is no point.

Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:30

I suppose question is is it possible to contract or develop HPV other ways?

OP posts:
betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:31

@needabreak5

I suppose question is is it possible to contract or develop HPV other ways?
Again, you’re ignorant of how HPV works: it could be dormant in your body for years and years and then show up on a random smear. Haven’t you googled this?
Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:31

You’ve massively misunderstood how HPV works. You can be negative at one smear and positive at the next, even if you haven’t been sexually active in that gap

That's interesting - I didn't realise that, can you link to more info?

OP posts:
Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:34

But if I've only ever had sexual contact with someone one other person, vice versa. Is there any way either of us could have ever been HPV positive?

OP posts:
betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:35

@FiremanSid

There is no point.
why lie though? Why answer the question with zero understanding of the issue? So odd
User727769 · 16/03/2022 23:36

If you lost your virginity to a virgin and haven't had sex with anyone else since then you shouldn't test positive for HPV and can only catch it from sexual contact.

betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:36

@needabreak5

But if I've only ever had sexual contact with someone one other person, vice versa. Is there any way either of us could have ever been HPV positive?
Yes, either one of you could have been HPV positive but it not show up on your smear for years because it’s dormant in one of your bodies
betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:37

Sorry do you mean you were a virgin and your male partner was a virgin?

Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:38

Sorry do you mean you were a virgin and your male partner was a virgin?

Yes

OP posts:
rosewater20 · 16/03/2022 23:42

I am not sure its the best idea to put your health in the hands of someone else--its possible he could have had sexual contact with someone else and neglected to tell you/lied to you about it.

Getting vaccinated against HPV and having a smear done regularly is important and I wouldn't put my trust in someone else when something as serious as cancer is involved.

betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:42

@needabreak5

Sorry do you mean you were a virgin and your male partner was a virgin?

Yes

and neither of you had either had genital to genital, or mouth to genital, or hand to genital contact before each other?
danadas · 16/03/2022 23:43

Glad I read this. I looked at the NHS site and had a Google and didnt spot that HPV could be dormant. I was negative at my last smear and nothing has changed since then so haven't booked another one.

betwixtlives · 16/03/2022 23:45

@rosewater20

I am not sure its the best idea to put your health in the hands of someone else--its possible he could have had sexual contact with someone else and neglected to tell you/lied to you about it.

Getting vaccinated against HPV and having a smear done regularly is important and I wouldn't put my trust in someone else when something as serious as cancer is involved.

Agree. As much as you may trust your partner, you have NO idea what the truth is re his sexual history. He may not count oral sex etc, or he may count it but be keeping that info to himself
Original poster
needabreak5 · 16/03/2022 23:52

I am not sure its the best idea to put your health in the hands of someone else--its possible he could have had sexual contact with someone else and neglected to tell you/lied to you about it. Getting vaccinated against HPV and having a smear done regularly is important and I wouldn't put my trust in someone else when something as serious as cancer is involved.

Im fully aware that my question assumes 100% trust, otherwise there would be more than one sexual partner and the theory obviously falls apart.

OP posts:
jytdtysrht · 17/03/2022 00:52

I think that you can get a proper smear where they look at the cells, privately.

Begoniagal7 · 17/03/2022 01:09

There is also a tiny percentage of cervical cancer cases that are not caused by HPV.

LovelaceBiggWither · 17/03/2022 01:27

I skipped smear tests for over a decade as wasn't sexually active and had had negative HPV tests.

Finally did one, HPV was found and then cancer was found. It happens.

MangyInseam · 17/03/2022 01:39

So if you haven't had any sexual contact with anyone else ever that could spread hpv, and neither did your partner, then the chances of cervical cancer are very tiny. In some countries smears are not recommended for virgins, for example, because it's just not all that worthwhile.

HPV can also be spread through things like oral sex, anal sex, and potentially even touching the genitals. The latter might not be terribly common but the former two are. SO you would have to be confident that neither you nor your partner had done anything like that with anyone else.

But if you are, it would be perfectly reasonable not to go for a smear if you'd rather not.

betwixtlives · 17/03/2022 02:10

@LovelaceBiggWither

I skipped smear tests for over a decade as wasn't sexually active and had had negative HPV tests.

Finally did one, HPV was found and then cancer was found. It happens.

this is the exact reason that women shouldn’t skip smears. I hope you’ve recovered or are well on the way to recovery
JellybeansJelly · 17/03/2022 02:18

@MangyInseam

So if you haven't had any sexual contact with anyone else ever that could spread hpv, and neither did your partner, then the chances of cervical cancer are very tiny. In some countries smears are not recommended for virgins, for example, because it's just not all that worthwhile.

HPV can also be spread through things like oral sex, anal sex, and potentially even touching the genitals. The latter might not be terribly common but the former two are. SO you would have to be confident that neither you nor your partner had done anything like that with anyone else.

But if you are, it would be perfectly reasonable not to go for a smear if you'd rather not.

A friend of mine was sent away by the nurse when she went to do her smear because she was a virgin at the time. Even though she had been sexually active in other ways.

So much misinformation out there!