Smear tests for 30s and 40s

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers, and if unchecked it can go undetected for months, sometimes years. Of the 3,500 women who get cervical cancer in the UK each year, many have not had regular smear tests. That's why screening the cervix, which is the narrow neck of the uterus that opens into the vagina, is so important.

Like most cancers the earlier cervical cancer is diagnosed, the better the chance for a cure. All women in the UK, from the ages of about 18 (or two years after first sexual intercourse) to 65 are entitled to a cervical smear every three to five years.

You should automatically be notified by your doctor or local health authority for a test that may be carried out by a practice nurse. But don't wait for your reminder: make an appointment yourself and remember the best time for a cervical smear is two weeks after your period.

How it's done

The smear test is quite simple. A speculum (a metal device used to dilate the vagina so that it can be inspected) is placed in your vagina and cells are skimmed from the surface of the cervix - or, if you've had a total hysterectomy, from the wall of the vagina - then smeared onto a glass slide. It may be uncomfortable but shouldn't be painful and you can have it done by a female nurse if you wish.