Cervical screening gap for under 50s in Wales increased to five years
Around 160 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in Wales every year
Last updated 4th Jan 2022
The amount of time between cervical screening tests for under 50s in Wales has been increased to 5 years.
Women are well-versed in getting their cervical screen done in three-yearly cycles, but Cervical Screening Wales has made the change, which came into effect on 1 January 2022.
Now, the routine screening interval for those aged 25-49 is being increased from three to five years, so long as there's no sign of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the latest smear test.
The change comes after a recommendation from the UK National Screening Committee due to more effective HPV testing, meaning testing of the age bracket will be in line with those aged 50-64.
Around 160 cases of cervical cancer are found in Wales every year, and it's the most common cancer in women under the age of 35.
Heather Lewis, Consultant in Public Health for Cervical Screening Wales explains: “The HPV test we now use in Wales is more effective at identifying people at higher risk of developing cell changes which can cause cervical cancer.
“The evidence shows that it is therefore safe to extend the time between cervical screening tests for people who do not have HPV identified.”