In Australia, cervical cancer screening is recommended for women aged 25 years and older who have ever been sexually active. The incidence of cervical cancer under 25 is very rare.

Using a self-collection kit is one of the options for screening. You can use the kit to take a vaginal sample yourself. This test is simple, highly accurate, and very convenient. By collecting the sample yourself, you can protect your privacy and avoid discomfort of an internal examination or inserting instruments by a doctor. For these reasons, many patients choose this option. However, self-collection testing is recommended only for patients who have no symptoms and who have never had abnormal screening results in the past.

This self-collection kit is used for testing the presence of the virus in the vagina only. It cannot check for changes in the cells of the cervix. If the sexually transmitted virus, such as HPV (human papillomavirus), is detected by the test, further examination will be required. HPV can cause cervical cancer. If the virus is negative, the next screening is recommended in five years.

Although Sakura Family Clinic was established mainly for Japanese patients, many Chinese and Taiwanese international students and working holiday makers — both male and female — have visited our clinic to receive the HPV 9-valent vaccine (Gardasil 9). Many of them are very pleased to be able to receive the vaccine free of charge in Australia, as it is difficult to access and very expensive in their home countries.

Testing for dysplasia or cancer cells requires a sample of cervical cells. The sample needs to be collected by a doctor. If you have previously had cervical dysplasia, or if you have symptoms such as abnormal vaginal discharge, irregular bleeding, pain during intercourse, or bleeding after intercourse, the self-collection kit is not sufficient. To avoid the risk of missing malignant cells, it is important to undergo cervical cancer screening with a doctor’s internal examination.

If you feel uncomfortable undergoing a private examination with a male doctor, you may request a female staff member to be present (chaperone) or ask to see a female doctor.