fbpxSmear tests - Sexperterna

Test & PEP

Smear tests

If you were born with a vagina, 23 and over and have not changed your social security number, you will routinely be called in for a smear test every three years to find out if there have been any cell changes in your cervix.

You will receive this notice to attend a smear test, and must go, even if you haven’t had sex (but if you’ve never had sex you don’t need to get tested). It may seem like a hassle or an inconvenience to go for smear tests, but you’re called so that you can have a better overview of your health. Many women who have sex with women choose not to go to these smear tests because they think them unnecessary, but HPV can easily be transmitted between women too. Remember, whether or not you have sex with men, these tests are an important way of helping you keep an eye on your health.

The smear tests are carried out at gynecology clinics and young people’s health centers, and the samples are taken by scraping a small speculum, cotton bud or brush against the cervix. The test takes just a couple of minutes, it’s painless and also free of charge. If the tests show cell changes, they will be followed up with an HPV test. In 2010 the examination method changed and only one test is now necessary.

Was this article useful?

How to get tested

You might be wondering what happens when you get tested. The answer is that getting tested for STIs is quick and easy. The test itself depends on what’s being tested for and how...

Read more

If you test positive for an STI

Testing positive means that you have a sexually transmitted infection. What happens next is that you get treatment, and the treatment can vary. After treatment you’ll have to provide a new sample to...

Read more

If you test positive for HIV

If you test positive for HIV it means you are carrying the HIV virus. Each individual reacts differently to this news. Some are shocked, while others aren’t that surprised. Most feel a need...

Read more

Introduction

Condoms provide by far the best protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but they still don’t provide 100% protection. Even if you always use a condom, it may be a good idea to...

Read more

PEP

PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) can be a savior in an emergency when things don’t according to plan, like a condom splitting. PEP is a relatively effective treatment that reduces the risk of HIV...

Read more

Where can I get tested?

Ready for a test? Once you’ve decided you want to get tested for sexually transmitted infections, you obviously need to know where to go. There are many clinics and youth clinics in the...

Read more