Cervical screening
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Cervical screening
Up to 90 percent of cases of the most common form of cervical cancer can be prevented if women have a smear test every three years.
The National Screening programme is available to all women in New Zealand between 20 and 70 years old. The programme was set up in 1990 to reduce the number of women who develop cancer of the cervix and the number who die from it.
To find out more about the cervical screening program please visit timetoscreen.nz
Importance of cervical screening
Do you know ...
- cervical cancer is one of the most preventable of all cancers.
- cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a very common virus passed on by sexual contact.
- most people will come into contact with HPV at some stage during their life. Most HPV infections clear by themselves, but some high-risk types can cause cell changes on the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer 10 to 20 years after infection. Other types can cause genital warts, but these strains do not lead to cancer.
- a woman's best protection against cervical cancer is having regular cervical smear tests. These are screening tests to find abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix
- vaccination does not protect against all HPV types - therefore, women who have been immunised must still continue to have smear tests.
- regular cervical smear tests every three years are recommended for women, if they have ever been sexually active, from the age of 20 until they turn 70.
- having regular cervical smears can reduce a woman's risk of developing cervical cancer by 90 percent.
- the HPV vaccine is free and is offered to boys and girls in year 7 or 8 at school. The vaccine protects against the 9 most common types of HPV but it doesn't cover all of them. To find our more about HPV visit health.govt.nz.
Start to screen
Cervical cancer is one of the easiest cancers to prevent – as long as we detect the cell changes that cause it, early. And guess what? New Zealand has one of the best cervical screening programmes in the world to help you.
Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty contracts Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (Ph 07 571 2100) and Eastern Bay Primary Health Alliance (Ph 07 306 2341) to provide additional support services to eligible women.
You can also call 0800 729 729
To find out more about the cervical screening programme, visit timetoscreen.nz .