Читать книгу Assisted Reproduction Techniques - Группа авторов - Страница 196

1 Q1 Why should I have a smear test? I am worried that the test results may delay my IVF treatment.A1. The cervical smear test is done to discover if there are any abnormalities in the cells covering the cervix. Some of these abnormalities, if not treated, may progress to cancer over time. So, the smear test reduces the chances of patients developing cervical cancer and saves lives. Also, it is better to be reassured before you start your IVF treatment and hopefully get pregnant. If any abnormality is discovered, then it is definitely much easier to sort out before pregnancy.

2 Q2 I had the vaccine. Doesn’t that mean that I will never get cervical cancer or HPV?A2. The vaccine covers the two most common oncogenic (cancer causing) strains of HPV which are HPV 16 and 18. These account for approximately 70% of cancers. However, there are many more strains out there which the vaccine does not cover.

3 Q3 What if I have cancer?A3. Most patients referred with an abnormal smear do not have cancer. The very small number that do tend to have early stage disease. The only way to know is to get tested. If there is a cancer, this can sometimes be treated with simple excisional treatments like a LLETZ under local anesthesia. Many patients with an early stage 1 cancer go on to have children afterwards.