So, are you going to ask your doctor why this hasn't been done yet? (Especially since you said cervical cancer runs in your family.)

I had my first pap when I was 15 and wanted on the pill...

I'm going to the doctor's tommorow for Mika's shots so i'm going to ask the nurse then

do you guys go to a mom/kiddo doc?

you should truly be asking a obgyn not a nurse

No i don't. No-one's even mentioned regular pap tests, even when i went on the injection after having william. the only time ive had internal examinations was when i had a urine infection and when i was in labour
i'm really curious on this subject and will mention it to my mum or the midwife when i first see her

just the normal doctors, i'm just gunna see what she says about paps in the Uk and if it's because i'm in the uk that i haven't had one to see what she says and then make an appointment with the apropiate doctor

when you find out, let me know because im finding it interesting why no-ones mentioned anything yet

Good, I'm glad you ladies in the U.K. are going to look into it.
Here is info from the U.K. It looks just like the advice given in the U.S.:

UK Healthcare

What is a Pap test?

A Pap test, named after Dr. George Papanicolaou who designed the test, is a screening test to collect and microscopically examine cells taken from the cervix, the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb) located between the bladder and the rectum. The cervix forms a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body. With a Pap test, cells can be collected from the vagina as well as the cervix.
Who should have Pap tests?

Women should seek expert medical advice about when they should begin screening, how often they should be screened, and when they can discontinue cervical screenings, especially if they are at higher than average risk of cervical cancer due to factors such as HIV infection.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the American College of Obstetrics (ACOG), general guidelines include:

* Cervical cancer screening should begin approximately three years after a woman begins having sexual intercourse, but no later than at 21 years old.
* Experts recommend waiting approximately three years following the initiation of sexual activity because transient human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and cervical cell changes that are not significant are common and it takes years for a significant abnormality or cancer to develop. Cervical cancer is extremely rare in women under the age of 25.
* Women should have a Pap test at least once every three years.
* ACS and ACOG recommend annual cervical cytology screening with regular Pap tests or biannual (every two years) screening with liquid-based tests (Thinprep) until age 30. Women under age 30 have a higher likelihood than older women of acquiring high-risk types of HPV that cause premalignant cervical disease, which should be ruled out before extending the testing intervals.


for more, click on the link above

I have been getting yearly pap smears since I turned 15. When I had my first pap done, it was because of a UTI. The doctor I saw was very sympathetic when I explained that I was sexually active. She insisted upon doing a pap, and billed it as an exam for the UTI. It actually WAS an exam as part of the UTI to ensure it wasn't caused by some kind of STD. However, my parents were never informed that I was having the pap due to sexual activity. You do have certain rights to medical privacy.

Paps are like ALL other diagnostic tests. They give you an age when you should start - generally 18-21. However, just like they tell women with a family history of breast cancer to receive mammograms earlier in life, sexual active teens should also have a pap.

They really are painless. They are quite uncomfortable, but they don't [I should say "shouldn't"] hurt.

I have a friend who was saved by having her first pap early in life. She had one at 16, and they discovered pre-cancerous cervical cells. Had she waited until she was 20 to have her first pap, she probably would have died.

*smacks self on forehead*

I didn't even think of this as a reason for not having had a pap test yet:

She just told me that it's not done at my age aparently

what age does it start at?

Well, you know better because you've seen the links posted right here that say otherwise.

I wonder if it's an insurance thing? I bet that the insurance companies made up some random rule so they wouldn't have to pay for pap tests for younger people.

(Or, whoever in the U.K. is responsible for the medical care budget, as opposed to insurance companies in the U.S.)

The following article is interesting to read in light of the recent discussion. Click on the link to read it.
Pros and Cons of Pap Tests for Teens

This was also a part of the above referenced article, which I found interesting. How do some of you feel about this:


"Some teen girls practice fingering, oral and anal sex, and even group sex, with the perception that they have not had sex because they have not experienced penetration of the vagina by the penis and will not get pregnant. They may not realize that they can contract a sexually transmitted disease from these practices as well.

It's also important to understand that most young girls do not find these activities pleasurable but do them as a means of keeping their boyfriends. And boys often resort to drugs or alcohol to diminish girls' inhibitions.

The physician needs to ask about these and other sexual practices and tell sexually active teens that they should be careful about letting anyone invade their bodies."

We have the NHS over here which is paid through taxes so not an insurance thing. I've got an appointme t with my Gp for next week for another reason so i will mention it to him while i'm there, he's very understanding and a nice person so hopefully he'll see my concerns

Good. I hope everything works out for you.

Actually testing women under 30 is very likely to lead to colposcopy and biopsies for false positives.
Many countries don't screen young women to contain the harm.
Biopsies are embarrassing, can be painful, and can leave you with damage to the cervix, which can cause infertility and problems during pregnancy. They can also cause psychological/psychosexual problems.
Also, cancer in the under 30's is very rare and the smear often doesn't pick up the rare case of cancer in this age group...called a false negative.
The test therefore causes more harm than good in young women.
Over-screening leads to over-treatment which is a bad thing for your mental and physical health.
Cervical cancer is uncommon...look at your risk profile before agreeing to smears and the screening interval...
The UK starts screening at 25...
Finland has the lowest rates of cervical cancer in the world and sends the smallest number of women for biopsies (and false positives) - they offer screening from age 30 and then 5 yearly until age 50, 55 or 60 (depending on past results and risk profile) The Netherlands has the same program.
US women are over-screened...
I've heard some US doctors test virgins which is, IMO, unethical and negligent.
This cancer is caused by HPV, which is sexually transmitted...
(The definition of a virgin in this case is no sexual intercourse and no genital to genital contact)
There are many articles on line that warn of the dangers of over-screening.
This test requires your informed consent...YOU should decide when, if and how often you have the test.
The practice in the States of making smears a pre-requisite for birth control pills is unethical...cancer screening has nothing to do with the safe use of the Pill and the practice ignores the need for the Dr to obtain your informed consent.
US women are also told they need annual gyn exams...these exams are NOT recommended in other countries...in fact, they are considered harmful by many doctors. (often leading to more possibly harmful testing)
(I think Germany is the only other country that may recommend these exams)
One in three US women has had a hysterectomy...a VERY HIGH figure.
Angela Raffle, UK cervical cancer screening expert put the risk of this cancer in perspective, when she released some statistics a year or so ago...
1000 women need regular testing for 35 years to save one woman from cervical cancer. Her research is available on line in the British Medical Journal.
This is an uncommon cancer.
Over-screening is a serious problem in the States and to a lesser degree, Australia. (the latter country does not test virgins, they recommend 2 yearly testing from about 20...too often and too early)
In the States, 95% of women will face a colposcopy in her lifetime, thanks to over-screening (the vast majority will NOT have cancer)...2 yearly screening, it's almost 78%
Finland....55%
References:
RMDeMay, Should we abandon pap smear testing, American Jnl of Clinical Pathology, 2000 &
Laura Koutsky, Cancer Prevention, Fall 2004, Issue 4

Also, virginal couples...consider your options.
My husband and I were virgins...you can't catch HPV from a virgin.
Given this test is unreliable and often leads to biopsies for false positives AND because my risk is tiny...I have chosen not to have smears. The risks of testing exceeds the benefits for me.
It's important to consider YOUR risk profile, mass recommendations may very well end up damaging your health.