In the year you turn 30, you will receive an invitation to have a smear test. What is new is that this will also include a self-test for HPV. Are you older than 30? Then the invitation will tell you how to request the self-test.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is a common virus that is sexually transmitted. Almost everyone has HPV once, usually the body clears the virus itself. Sometimes it does not manage to do so, for example in cases of reduced resistance. If the body does not clear the virus, the cells in the cervix can change. Abnormal cells may turn into a preliminary stage of cervical cancer. This is not yet cancer and is often treatable. By treating, cancer can be prevented from developing.
The self-test allows you to participate in the population study. The self-test is an easy way to find out if you have HPV. With the self-test, you simply take vaginal material yourself at home and send it to the laboratory. At the laboratory, the self-test only examined for HPV.
You can request the self-test via My Population Screening. To log in, you will need your DigiD.
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