Cervical Cancer Screening FAQs

January 2024

Cervical cancer screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer — but 1 in 4 people don’t attend their appointment.

Women and people with a cervix aged 25-49 will be invited to have a routine cervical screen at least every five years once they have tested negative to HPV. It’s really important that you attend your appointment because cervical screening is one of the best ways to prevent cervical cancer.

The main aims of cervical screening are to reduce:

• The number of cases of cervical cancer (incidence) by picking up cell changes before they become a cancer
• The number of deaths from cervical cancer (mortality) by stopping cancer from developing, or picking it up at an early stage
• The effects of cancer or cancer treatments on health (morbidity) by stopping cancer from developing, or picking it up at an early stage when it is much easier to treat

To support Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, we have answered some of the most commonly asked questions. 

For more information about cervical screening in Wales, please visit phw.nhs.wales.