how often are we supposed to have smears?

[freespiritfreedom]

i havn't been called for one in ages but it seems years ago.

i thought it was every year?

Every 3 years

every three years I think...

Every 3 years until you get to aged 50, then it's every 5 years.

Isn't it every year if there has been a previous problem?

Its about every 3 years till your 49 then every 5 from 50 to 64. Its a very slow moving cancer.

x posts, aren't we a well informed bunch!

thats one good thing about gtting older, less smears
don;t you have to have them after 64 then?

You can request them after 64, but it's not a routine thing.

Unlikely you would get them after 64 unless you have had problems,you have to go private if you wanted one.

The reason for this is mainly that the Cervix changes with age,and the area that we have to get the cells from isn't so accessible,so most will come back "inadequate" ie. insufficient cells or cells from the "wrong" area.

The usual policy for any age is 3 Inadequate results and the patient should be referred to a Gynaecology clinic.If its because the person is old,this is not normally necessary,but in theory should still happen.

In patients that have had regular smears the incidence of Cervical cancer after the age of 64yrs is negligible.

it is every year in some countries eg the states. every two years down under and every three here in the uk

As Nurses we are told that Cervical Cancer takes between 10-15 years to "grow",so Screening every 3-5 years is considered safe,in the U.K.