Reduce Your Risk

The number of women who die from cervical cancer in the UK has dropped since the 1970’s thanks to our national cervical screening (smear tests) programme. The programme saves approximately 4,500 lives per year.²² Smear tests find abnormal cells so that treatment can be given at this early stage before the cells develop into cervical cancer.²⁴

However, even today around 950 women in the UK die from cervical cancer every year.¹ That is why reducing the risk of developing cervical cancer by leading a healthy lifestyle, attending cervical screening and vaccination is so important.^5-7

How can I reduce my risk of getting cervical cancer?

What you can do now to reduce your risk depends on the stage you’re at in your life. It’s also important to know what you can do at different stages of your life.

If you are 12-18yrs you can reduce your risk by:

• Leading a healthy lifestyle⁵
• Attending regular cervical smear tests later in life (from aged 25 in England and 20 in the rest of the UK)^{6, 17}
• Getting your HPV vaccination through the NHS now, even if you’ve left school^7,14

If you are over 18yrs you can reduce your risk by:

• Leading a healthy lifestyle⁵
• Attending regular cervical smear tests when invited by your GP surgery (from aged 25 in England and 20 in the rest of the UK)^6,17
• Speaking to your doctor, nurse or high street pharmacist about local availability of HPV vaccination