Cervical Screening

Back to Health

The Department of Health (DH) recommends that women between the ages of 20 and 64 have routine cervical smears every three to five years as part of the NHS Screening Programme, yet some lesbians in a recent Stonewall survey reported they were questioned by their health provider about their need for a smear, actively discouraged from having one, or refused one.

It is true that women who have never had sex with a man have a very low risk of developing cervical cancer. However, given that a suggested 80% of lesbians have had sex with a man, women no matter what their sexual orientation should present and be accepted for a cervical smear.

Current research, which has been used as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme 2009 Annual Review, showed that any exchange of bodily fluids between two people can pass the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), which is present in nearly 100% of cervical cancer cases, meaning a woman can contract the HPV infection from a female partner.

According to the NHS, although HPV is more easily transmitted via heterosexual intercourse, lesbians can transmit the virus through vaginal fluids on hands and fingers, or by sharing sex toys.

In an attempt to educate healthcare staff and encourage more women to come forward, the NHS is distributing new leaflets to explain what's involved and help dispel the myth that cervical screening is only necessary for heterosexual women.

This leaflet has been developed to address specific questions considered by lesbian and bisexual women. Download the leaflet here.

What's Involved

Cervical screening involves checking the cervix, which is located at the neck of the womb, for abnormal cell changes, which may develop into cancer. It is recommended every three years for women aged 25-49 and every five years for women aged 50-64.

Statistics show that a woman's risk of cervical cancer is cut by 84% if she has a smear test every five years, and 91% if she has a smear every three years. It's estimated that NHS cervical screening saves more than 1000 lives each year.

Back to Health