Pap smears and HPV tests can catch issues early—long before they become cancer. Learn why these simple screenings matter and how to make the experience more comfortable.

During a Pap smear the most uncomfortable part will be when the doctor inserts a speculum into your vagina. However, the pain should be minimal and brief. Peter Dazeley/Getty Images A Pap smear is a ...

A smear test itself is a standard procedure. All women aged 25-49 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are invited for a cervical screening every three years (while in Scotland it's every five years ...

I have a condition called vaginismus that makes traditional cervical cancer screening nearly impossible.

If a person receives a positive human papillomavirus (HPV) result from a Pap smear, they need a colposcopy to confirm the diagnosis. This is a minimally invasive procedure that healthcare ...

I’m reluctant to have a smear test because since the menopause it has become uncomfortable, leaving me sore for a few days afterwards. I’ve just had another invitation for screening and keep putting ...

A colposcopy is a procedure to examine your cervix (neck of the womb). A colposcopy is usually recommended if a cervical screening test, or smear test, has shown there is a problem with the cells in ...

Aimi Hopkins, 54, is battling invasive cancer after being diagnosed with a tumor the size of a lime, which went undetected ...

A Pap smear is a procedure that screens for cervical cancer by testing cells for any abnormalities. If your Pap results are abnormal that does not mean you have cancer, and more likely indicates HPV.

A Pap smear is a procedure that screens for cervical cancer by testing cells for any abnormalities. If your Pap results are abnormal that does not mean you have cancer, and more likely indicates HPV.