I’ve never had a smear test and I don’t want one either

[Seventeenstars]

Controversial I guess, I’m 36.
I don’t think it’s necessary, as I’ve read about my risk factors and I don’t meet the criteria. All the men I’ve slept with (without protection) were virgins and yes I know they were for sure.
I also have no family history of any cancer.
My partner has prostate cancer in both sides of his family, his dad has it currently and he’s not even been offered a screening test for this.
I find this so frustrating and contradictory when women and men are treated so differently and if you refuse smear or breast screening you’re seen as an awful person, and those who do are morally superior.
Men aren’t coerced into invasive internal examinations.
I have an aversion to having things inserted in me internally and feel I have a right to that decision regarding my body.
There are home tests for HPV available, which I have done myself in the past - all clear.
My question is why do they persist with this archaic procedure when there are other options available?

I keep getting phone calls from my GP surgery trying to persuade me to book a test. I don’t understand why they’re always pushing it, but just totally dismiss other medical issues, which has been my experience several times.
Do they get extra commission for this or something?
There are even pop up ‘clinics’ and drop in sessions going ahead near me.

Of course I know I’ll be bombarded with replies saying I’m selfish, stupid and uneducated. I’ve even read other women saying that those who refuse should be denied any medical care!
But I have done my research and I am more than aware of the implications.

It’s not 99.7% any more
The HPV vaccine preventing loads of HPV caused cervical cancers means that the % share of HPV independent cancers has gone up to around 8-12% depending on the study.

I never did either

Does anyone know if you have to do smear test if you’ve never been sexually active?

I think living in a country where we are 90% less likely to have cervical cancer go undetected is pretty amazing.

I just wish they could do the same for other types of cancer too.

And of course roll it out for free worldwide.

Hopefully in our lifetimes we’ll have more tests like smear tests that can detect early signs and less people will die from the horrible disease that is cancer.

Oh ok, you make a very good point. I must admit, I didn’t consider that. Thank you for countering my point respectfully 🙂

I mean, you’re extremely stupid, but it’s entirely your prerogative. My friend died in 2022. She was 38. Her children were 2 and 4. She missed a smear test during COVID, and now she’s dead.

Sorry I have a typo.
earlier I said
“So a negative test is proof you have never caught HPV.”

that should be ISNT proof.

You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to do.

But your risk increases if you’ve been sexually active.

If you’ve never been sexually active in your life, then your risk would be very low and it probably isn’t worth it.

That’s not how statistics work. If the NHS is not testing my sample because I don’t have HPV then I have not been screened for cervical cancer. Because again, a smear test is no longer a cancer screening.

Because it’s been proven to save lives - young woman below screening age have died because they have not been offered screening tests. If you don’t want them just inform your GP practice and they will remove your name from the screening list. Out of interest will you have the same thoughts about bowel screening and breast screening as and when you are the right age group?

Offering women a do it yourself swab while keeping the option open for a smear would result in more women taking up the screening.

For me, it makes sense to offer women the choice.

Like the op, to I don't do smears any more but have paid for my own screening and should soon be offered it for free.

No idea why less invasive procedures aren’t used nor the comparison to prostrate screening for men

I had abnormal cells picked up years ago and had treatment and many colposcopies. I hate smears and find them very uncomfortable

however I am grateful - very grateful - that screening is available and the 1-2 mins discomfort is a tiny price to pay for privilege of having access to screening and follow up treatment if it’s needed

Exactly this. It’s a computer says no approach to women’s healthcare where they guilt trip millions of women to take part in an invasive procedure and then not even bother to conduct the cancer screening. And we just accept it.

My sister died at 32 years old from cervical cancer. She was too scared to have her smear done. Needless to say, she endured much more traumatic procedures once she was diagnosed
I will spend the rest of my life wondering if that smear test would have saved her life. No real history of cancer in our family either.
You don't have to have one done..it's a strange thing to be angry about. Me? I feel fortunate there is a screening procedure available that might prevent me dying like my sister. Cervical cancer is a horrible way to die btw. My sister spent the last 10 weeks with a catheter and tubes in her kidneys as it spread there and she had no bladder control. There was no dignity

It tests for HPV - which can cause cancer.

If HPV is detected then the sample is screened for abnormal cells.

They are unable to test every sample for abnormal cells, that would be insane and just not possible.

But if you want more in depth tests then I’m sure you can go private and have a smear test that way and pay for them to test for abnormal cells at the same time.

It doesn’t make sense to me. It’s not that we can’t find our vaginas and do a HPV swab, it’s that it’s not like an ancestry DNA kit. The swab could be mishandled and contaminated. The swab also needs to get to a lab within 24hrs of collection, it also has temperature requirements to keep the sample stable. I think that many DIY swabs will not give accurate test results. So women will have a false sense of security or they do the DIY and then have to go in anyway because it didn’t get to the lab within the 24hrs of collection deadline. It just doesn’t logistically check out as the best and most accurate way to test.

With smear tests??

What a stupid reply. Obviously men dont have a cervix but have their own bodyparts and organs. Which they dont have a specialist doctor like women do.

Oh my sorry posted on wrong thread shall get it deleted
sorry genuine mistake 😧

Proding and poking during pregnancy is not neccessary. More over its fairly risky to have internal exams in pregnancy.

You're an adult. You've made a choice. You're the one who will have to live with the potential consequences of your decision.

Do you need a cheer squad? 🤔

No because a mammogram is actually a cancer screen. Whereas a smear test is now a HPV screen.

Well it gave me a laugh anyway!

See, this is the kind of fear mongering that is incredibly unhelpful.
These days, smear tests primarily test for HPV, and only if that's positive do they check for cell changes.
OP says she gets HPV tests. So that is just as good as the current smear test.

There is a currently a clinical trial of home HPV tests with the view to replace the traditional smear, and early indications are that it's a good alternative - particularly with so many now having had the vaccinations.

1 in 142 people get cervical cancer. 98% of those had an active HPV infection, so OP's at home HPV test is all that is actually required.

They used to test every sample for abnormal cells so it very much is and was possible. I’m not arguing against the science, I’m making the argument that calling a smear test a cancer screening is now factually incorrect and disingenuous. It’s a HPV test first and foremost.