Based on your Cervical Screening Test results your healthcare provider may recommend you:
- return to screen in 5 years
- repeat the test in 12 months
- refer to a specialist
- repeat the test in 6 weeks.
Return to screen in 5 years
Your screening results indicate you do not have a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The National Cervical Screening Program will send you an invitation to have your next Cervical Screening Test in 5 years. The latest medical and scientific evidence shows that you can safely return to screen in 5 years.
Repeat the test in 12 months
Your screening results indicate you do not need further follow-up at this time but you should have a repeat test in 12 months. This is because you have an HPV infection that is likely to be cleared by your body’s immune system within the next 12 months. A repeat HPV test in 12 months checks that the infection has gone and if it has, you are safe to return to five-yearly screening.
If the repeat test shows the HPV infection has not gone, you may need further testing from a specialist. This does not mean you have developed cervical cancer. It takes about 10 to 15 years for cervical cancer to develop after an HPV infection and cervical cancer is a rare outcome of an HPV infection.
Refer to a specialist
Your screening results show that you have a type of HPV infection and/or you have changes to the cells of your cervix that requires further investigation by a specialist.
This does not mean you have developed cervical cancer. It takes about 10 to 15 years for cervical cancer to develop after a HPV infection and cervical cancer is a rare outcome of a HPV infection. You will be referred to a specialist for a follow-up test, known as a colposcopy.
It is very important you follow the instructions of your healthcare provider if you received this test result.
Repeat the test in 6 weeks
You will be asked to repeat the test in 6 weeks if there was an unsatisfactory test result. This does not mean there is something wrong. An unsatisfactory result means your sample cannot be processed properly and it is important to repeat the test in 6 weeks. There are many reasons why this happens, such as the number of cells collected was too small.
It is important that you attend all follow-up as recommended by your healthcare provider. If you have a cervical abnormality that is not monitored - and, if needed, treated, it may progress to cervical cancer.