Between 18 and 20 years.
After age 21, women should have a Pap test every two years, instead of every year. At age 30, if a woman has no history of cervical cancer and has had three normal Pap tests in a row, she can be screened every three years, rather than every two to three years. 1 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends first Pap tests at 21. 2  After age 21, women should have a Pap test every two years, instead of every year. 3  Rates of cervical cancer have declined by 50 percent since the 1970s. Understanding your Pap smear results. Having a Pap smear every two years offers the best chance of preventing cervical cancer. In 2010, 818 Australian women were diagnosed with cervical cancer. The Pap smear is a quick and simple test used to check for changes to the cells of the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. Women should start having Pap smears between 18 and 20 years of age or one to two years after becoming sexually active. It is important to know that no screening test is 100 per cent accurate. The Papanicolaou test (abbreviated as Pap test, known earlier as Pap smear, cervical smear, or smear test) is a method of cervical screening used to detect potentially pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the cervix (opening of the uterus or womb). While the test may also detect infections and abnormalities in the endocervix and endometrium, it is not designed to do so. In the United States, Pap smear screening is recommended starting around 21 years of age until the age of 65. Guidelines on frequency vary from every three to five years. If results are abnormal, and depending on the nature of the abnormality, the test may need to be repeated in six to twelve months When to Get Screened. You should start getting regular Pap tests at age 21. The Pap test, which screens for cervical cancer, is one of the most reliable and effective cancer screening tests available. The only cancer for which the Pap test screens is cervical cancer. A cervical screening test (previously known as a smear test) is a method of detecting abnormal cells on the cervix. The cervix is the entrance to the womb from the vagina. Detecting and removing abnormal cervical cells can prevent cervical cancer. In some areas, a test for HPV is the first test on the screening sample. In these cases, the sample is only checked for abnormal cells if HPV is found. If HPV isn’t found, you'll be offered a screening test again in three to five years (depending on your age). Read about the results of cervical screening tests. How often you should get a Pap test depends on your age. The first Pap test is recommended at age 21, regardless of sexual history or sexual activity. From ages 21 to 29, it's recommended that you have a Pap smear every three years. The Pap test helps identify women at risk for developing cervical cancer. Women 21-30 should get a Pap test every three years. Women over 30 should get a combined Pap test and HPV test every five years. If HPV testing is not available, they may The Pap smear is currently the best test available for the prevention of most cases of cervical cancer. All women between the ages of 18 and 70 should have a Pap smear every two years. Women should start having Pap smears between 18 and 20 years of age or one to two years after becoming sexually active. It is important to know that no screening test is 100 per cent accurate. You should start cervical cancer tests at age 21. Women between ages 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every 3 years. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 should have a Pap test plus an HPV test every 5 years. Alternatively, you could continue hainge a Pap test alone every 3 years. The Pap test helps identify women at risk for developing cervical cancer. Women 21-30 should get a Pap test every three years. Women over 30 should get a combined Pap test and HPV test every five years. If HPV testing is not available, they may
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/20/pap.cervical.cancer/index.html http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/early-detection/early-detection-factsheets/understanding-your-pap-smear-results.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pap_test http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/basic_info/screening.htm http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cervical-screening-test/Pages/Introduction.aspx https://www.sharecare.com/health/gynecology/how-often-get-pap-test http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/early-detection/early-detection-factsheets/understanding-your-pap-smear-results.html https://www.sharecare.com/health/gynecology/how-often-get-pap-test
when do smear tests start