By collecting your own sample for your Cervical Screening Test, you’re protecting yourself from cervical cancer – just like millions of other women in Australia.
Having a Cervical Screening Test every five years will help you stay healthy, both for yourself and your family.
Your doctor or nurse is there to help you, and you can ask for an interpreter if you need one. This is free and confidential.
Your doctor or nurse will show you where you can wash your hands, and give you a private space. You can ask them for extra help if you need it. They can give you advice without entering the private space. It’s okay if you make a mistake – just tell them. You can start again.
Without opening it, have a look at the self-collection swab. It might not look exactly like this one, but you should see one end that you can hold, and another end for taking your sample.
The first step is to pull down or take off your underwear. You can keep the rest of your clothes on.
Find a comfortable position.
Now, twist the cap and remove the swab from the packaging. Be careful to only hold it by the cap, and don’t put it down on anything. If you accidentally drop it, or the swab touches something, you can ask for another one.
The swab has a line or a mark to show you how far to insert it.
Gently insert the swab into your vagina a few centimetres up to the line. Gently move the swab in a circular motion for 10 to 30 seconds. This might be a bit uncomfortable, but it shouldn’t hurt.
Carefully remove the swab, replace it in the packaging without it touching anything else, and seal it up.
You have now finished! You can get dressed, wash your hands, and give the sealed collection swab to your doctor or nurse. They can talk to you about what happens next, and how you will get your results.