Abnormal smear test results 

Most cell changes detected on an abnormal cervical smear are caused by a type of wart virus called the human papillomavirus or HPV. These viruses are so common that more than half of sexually active women are infected with HPV at some time during their life, although most will not even know it.

If you have a strain of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, it can lie dormant within the cells of the cervix. In some cases, your immune system will recognise and clear the virus. However, if the virus persists, it can cause cervical cell abnormalities which, if not detected and treated, could eventually lead to cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer develops slowly, over many years. If you have regular abnormal cervical smear tests your cell changes can be monitored and, where necessary, treated – usually long before cervical cancer would have developed. That’s why having a regular smear test is so important.

Most women with an abnormal cervical smear have only slightly abnormal cells.

If these are found in your smear your sample is tested to see if certain high-risk strains of the HPV virus are present.

If the HPV test is negative, you have a low risk of developing cervical cancer before your next cervical screen test and will be invited back for screening once a year.

If you have an HPV infection, or if the cells on your cervical smear are abnormal, we will offer you another test, called a colposcopy.  A private colposcopy after an abnormal smear allows us to examine your cervix more closely under magnification.

If we find abnormal areas during your colposcopy, these can be sampled with a biopsy, which removes a small amount of cells for examination by a specialist pathologist.

Depending on the nature of any abnormal cells found, you may be monitored with repeat smears, or the abnormal cells could be treated with laser therapy or cryotherapy–freezing.

Around one in two women who have a colposcopy are found to have abnormal cells which need removing, to help prevent cervical cancer.

We understand how abnormal smear test results can be hugely concerning and offer short notice appointments with our consultants, who can go through your results with you. There are no long waits for further investigations that may be needed, including a private colposcopy after an abnormal smear.