Cervical Screening in Australia: The Test That Replaced the Pap Smear
The Cervical Screening Test is a simple test that checks for human papillomavirus, or HPV, the virus that causes almost all cervical cancer. It replaced the Pap smear in Australia in 2017. Most people have it every five years from age 25, and many can now collect the sample themselves.
Get
General Check-up
support
If you remember booking in for a Pap smear, you are thinking of the right test, just an earlier version of it. In December 2017 the National Cervical Screening Program replaced the two yearly Pap smear with the five yearly Cervical Screening Test. The old Pap smear looked for cell changes on the cervix. The new test looks for HPV first, because we now know that a lasting HPV infection is what leads to those cell changes in the first place.
Finding the virus early means anything can be watched or treated long before it becomes a problem. So if a reminder letter mentions a Cervical Screening Test and you were expecting a Pap smear, nothing has gone wrong. It is the same idea, done in a smarter order, and it is offered to women and people with a cervix right across Australia. For most people the change also means fewer tests over a lifetime.
Routine cervical screening is recommended for anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 74 who has ever been sexually active. Your first test is due at age 25, or two years after your last Pap smear if you were already screening under the old program. After a normal result, the test is repeated every five years rather than every two, because HPV related changes develop slowly.
Screening usually continues until age 74, when a final exit test is offered. You do not need to be sexually active currently, and it is worth continuing even after HPV vaccination, since the vaccine does not cover every type of the virus. If you are pregnant, unsure of your history, or overdue by years rather than months, that is completely fine and very common. There is no judgement here. A quick chat with a GP can confirm exactly when you are due and help you pick things back up.
Here is the part that changes things for people who have been putting screening off. Since July 2022, self-collection has been available to everyone eligible for the Cervical Screening Test, not just a small group. Instead of a clinician using a speculum, you take the sample yourself with a simple swab, usually behind a curtain or in a bathroom at the clinic.
You gently rotate the swab in the vagina for a few seconds, and that is it. It is private, quick and should not hurt. Importantly, a self-collected sample is just as accurate as a clinician collected one for detecting HPV, which is exactly what the test looks for. For many women and people with a cervix, especially anyone who has found the exam uncomfortable or distressing before, this option removes the single biggest reason for avoiding it. A GP can arrange the pathology request for self-collection where it is appropriate, or point you to a local provider.
Results usually come back within one to two weeks. Most people receive a negative result, meaning no HPV was found and you simply return to screening in five years. If HPV is detected, it does not mean you have cancer. It usually means one of two things.
For some types, the recommendation is a repeat test in twelve months to see whether your body clears the virus on its own, which it often does. For higher risk types, or if cell changes are suspected, you may be referred for a colposcopy, a closer look at the cervix with a magnifying scope. A colposcopy is an examination, not a treatment, and it is a normal next step rather than a cause for alarm. Whatever the result, someone will explain what it means and what happens next. You can read more about how results are shared in our guide to online pathology results.
Care that remembers you
This is the most important distinction to understand. Cervical screening is designed for people who feel well and have no symptoms. It is a check for a silent, slow process, not a way to investigate a problem you can already feel. So if you have symptoms, screening is not the right tool, and you should not wait for your next test.
Bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, bleeding after menopause, unusual or persistent discharge, or pelvic pain all deserve a proper GP appointment regardless of when your last screening was or what it showed. These symptoms usually have common, treatable explanations, and many are unrelated to the cervix. Unusual discharge, for example, may point to an infection worth checking with STI testing, while burning or urgency can be a urinary tract infection. If that sounds familiar, our guides to UTI treatment and easing UTI discomfort at home are a good starting point, alongside a GP review.
Abby Health is an online-first clinic, so you can talk through cervical screening with a GP from home, seven days a week, without sitting in a waiting room. In a short telehealth consult, a doctor can explain the test in plain language, confirm whether you are due, and where it is appropriate arrange a pathology request for self-collection or direct you to a nearby collection service. They can also follow up your results with you once they arrive.
Because you can choose to see the same doctor each time, your history stays in one place, which matters for something you repeat over many years. The same clinician can help with related needs too, from contraception options to emergency contraception. When you are ready, you can schedule an appointment. Bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Strict eligibility criteria apply. This is general information only and not a substitute for personal medical advice; if you are seriously unwell, call 000.
Editorial Standards
Notice something that doesn’t look right? Let us know at support@abbyhealth.app
The information reflects guidance available as of the "last updated" date shown above. Medical knowledge evolves, and individual circumstances vary — always discuss decisions about your care with a qualified clinician.
In an emergency, call 000 or attend your nearest emergency department. Abby Health is not an emergency service. For mental health crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
If you have feedback or believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact our editorial team at support@abbyhealth.app. Abby Health complies with AHPRA advertising standards and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.
Authors
.avif)
