(Untitled)

[solodanceparty]

On the radio, I heard, since Jade Goody found out about having cancer, she's been trying to get pap smears for women under 25. But someone in the NHS said there is no need, because cancer that young is so rare. When I was living at home in the US, I started getting them when I turned 18. When I moved over 3 years ago, it was the first thing I asked

Comments

[jeveuxsavoir]

At my most recent annual exam I was found to have precancerous cells, so I'm keeping an extremely, extremely close eye on that and going in for repeat paps every six months. And I turned 21 not so long ago, and am in the US. So I definitely, definitely think 18 if not sooner, is a good age to at least get into the habit of getting checked.

[cythna]

This is reminding me-I had the "please come in for your smear test" letter a few weeks ago. I suppose I'd better dig it out...

Youch! Too late!

[zanna_voodoo]

I began having sex at age 18 and had cervical dysplasia (cell mutations, pre-cancer) by 21. I would have had cancer by 25!!

I'm in the US, and now I'm age 40 (so things may have changed since my youth). I was told to start getting a pap at age 18, or after starting sex, or when starting on the Pill -- probably because the last assumes sex has started.

[ljtaylor]

I'd like them to be lowered; I just like being safe, and I've been sexually active since I was 16 and am now 20. My mum didn't believe me when I said I couldn't have a smear test (I've asked my GP, she refused). And yeah, I live in the UK.