The best way to reduce your risk of developing cervical cancer is to have a regular cervical smear test every three years. Having three-yearly cervical smears taken means any abnormal cell changes can be picked up earlier and treated.

Other factors linked to an increased risk of cervical cell changes and the development of cervical cancer are:

• smoking
• the use of oral contraceptives
• a weakened immune system.

Symptoms of cervical cancer

Abnormal cell changes do not cause any symptoms and are only picked up when women have a cervical smear test.  Symptoms do not appear until abnormal cells become cancer.

See your doctor if you have:

• bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
• bleeding or spotting after sexual intercourse
• bleeding or spotting after menstrual periods have stopped (menopause)
• persistent pain in your pelvis
• pain during sexual intercourse
• unusual discharge from your vagina.  The discharge might be smelly, have changed colour from white to pink, brown, or green, or be streaked with blood.

These symptoms can happen for several reasons and rearely mean that you have cervical cancer.  However they should be checked out.