Going for smear a couple of months early

[AvidOrca]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of going for their smear just under 3 months before their due date please?
I know when I am due (June) and don’t need the letter but I would like to go early (March) for personal reasons but I don’t want to risk it being rejected.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cervical-screening-accepting-samples-in-laboratories/guidance-for-acceptance-of-cervical-screening-samples-in-laboratories-and-pathways-roles-and-responsibilities

this website says samples “more” than 3 months are rejected but if anyone has any real life experience either as patient or Nurse that would be great please as I don’t want to risk rejection at all.

thanks <3

I had spotting between periods and went to the sexual health clinic. They performed a smear , and sti screening. My routine smear wasn't due for another year, which I had as normal.

There is no harm in trying the sexual health clinic, although you may have to exaggerate and say you have concerns.

This is my job.

You have to have been invited by CSMS, even if you don’t have the actual letter. It will NOT be processed if you aren’t due yet.

Your surgery may book you, the nurse may even take the sample (but shouldn’t). But the lab won’t process it, it’ll just go straight in the bin. Then you have to wait AT LEAST 12 weeks before sampling again.

The Cervical Screening Management System in England is centralised, so going elsewhere eg a sexual health clinic will not “get around” it.

Generally letters are sent out about 6 weeks before the smear is due. Even if you don’t have a letter ( eg it got lost in the post) I can see on CSMS if you are due and thus eligible, and can do the smear.

@Mairzydotes was that a while ago?

A smear is a screening tool - symptomatic women will be referred to colposcopy for assessment. If you have symptoms (or lie and say you have, which I really don’t recommend) then you should be referred to colpscopy, and not just have a smear.

Hi Sidge
thank you so much for your detailed reply! And thank you for sharing about your job outside your job, I really appreciate it

i dont want to take advantage of your knowledge or kindness but in your professional opinion but I need things in black and white where possible so I hope to just ask clearly which may also help future readers

if my next test is due the 05/06/25, is the earliest the lab specifically will accept is a test done on or after 24/04/25 as this is when the letter is sent from? By my calculation 24/04/25 is 6 weeks before the test due date

I am very wary of having a test done too early because the GP will let me have it, but the lab rejecting it. I would rather be very very sure.

I don’t want to take the piss out of a system that saves lives, I just want to be sure that I can plan ahead and have dates in mind
thanks x

Just get a home test op , if it's negative that's as far as the smear test would go too

@AvidOrca you’re very welcome. Have PMd you.

Smear tests now only test for HPV. You can get HPV tests to do privately at home, if you need something to put your mind at rest between smears.

Even though I had the letter several weeks before the official due date, the surgery wouldn't book me in for the test until the due date itself

That’s wrong, they shouldn’t have done that - you’re eligible once invited.

Within the last couple of years.

Perhaps I'd have been referred for a colposcopy had they found something of concern.

@Sidge. Oh that's annoying. I'm a carer and can only make dates when my husband is off work, so I had to wait ages after the due date to fine an appointment that worked.

I went early and the nurse wouldn't do it as she said early samples are destroyed.

How early did you try and go Merry? From Sidge’s knowledge it seems only once the invite is triggered (6 weeks before next test) are you eligible

Not sure why everyone is saying it will be rejected, within 3 months of the date is fine. I had mine done at 2.5months before and it was absolutely fine, surgery happy to take the sample and lab tested it and sent letter back as normal.

When was this @TheQuietestSpace ?

Since the CSMS was introduced last year it has 'tightened' the guidance further and labs are instructed (I believe) not to process samples unless a woman is called.

Prior to that different labs in different regions had different criteria - ours used to be 12 weeks prior to due date. Now it's once invited at approx 6 weeks prior.

About 5 months ago