Many women aged 30 to 34 postpone participation in the cervical cancer screening program (CCSP). Only 3 out of 10 women take action within 12 weeks after the invitation. This is a worrying development, as the human papillomavirus (HPV) is most prevalent in this group. Cervical cancer develops from a prolonged infection with HPV human papillomavirus (human papillomavirus). To prevent postponement from leading to cancellation, the National Screening Program, RIVM, and KWF Queen Wilhelmina Fund for Dutch Cancer Control (Queen Wilhelmina Fund for Dutch Cancer Control) are launching the national campaign “Do it today!”. The campaign starts today during the Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.
Despite the increase, participation remains low
The percentage of women aged 30 to 34 participating in the cervical cancer screening has increased from 41% in 2022 to 48% in 2023. Despite this positive development, still more than half of this group ignores their invitation. This is mainly because they postpone it. The reasons for this are very diverse: women lose their invitation, do not know if the invitation is still valid, forget it, hesitate, or postpone due to pregnancy.
What you can do today
With the campaign “Do it today!”, women are encouraged not to ignore their invitation and to take action immediately. On www.bmhk.nl/vandaag (external link) there is a checklist of actions you can take today, such as what to do if you lost your invitation, don’t know if it’s still valid, are pregnant, or are still in doubt.
Cervical cancer can be prevented
Every year, about 900 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 200 people die from this disease in the Netherlands. The risk of cervical cancer is highest among women aged 30 to 45. By participating in the screening program, cervical cancer can be detected early or even prevented. If an abnormality is found, it often concerns a precursor that can be treated.
Pap smear or self-test
From the age of 30, women receive an invitation every five to ten years to participate for free in the screening program. Participation can be done at the general practitioner with a pap smear or at home with a self-test that tests for the presence of HPV human papillomavirus (human papillomavirus). To make participation more accessible, all women in the Netherlands turning 30 since last July have been sent the self-test with their invitation.