Cervical screening in under-25-year-olds

It has been shown that approximately one in three women under 25 years will have abnormal cervical cytology samples (as opposed to one in 14 for all women screened) (1)

• these changes are frequently due to natural and harmless changes in the cervix, which, if left untreated, would resolve spontaneously (1,2)

Detection of these abnormalities will result in unnecessary additional testing and potentially harmful treatment (1,2)

• research suggests that taking tissue from the cervix (for diagnosis, for removal of abnormal area or both) causes an increased risk of preterm births
• it has been shown that for every 100,000 women screened in this group, around 100 to 350 will have preterm deliveries (1)

Furthermore, the incidence of cervical cancer in women under 25 years is low, with 46 cases of cervical cancer patients in the age group of 15-24 years being registered in the UK in 2017-2019. (3).

However, women who are concerned about their sexual health or with risk or symptoms of cervical cancer should visit their GP or local genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic (1,2)

References:

1. NHS Cancer Screening Programmes 2009. NHS cervical screening programme. Annual review 2009.
2. NHS England. Cervical screening: programme and colposcopy management. Guidelines for commissioners, screening providers and programme managers for NHS cervical screening. Published May 2010, last updated September 2024.
3. Cancer Research UK. Cervical Cancer Incidence by Age 2017-2019 (online).