With 1 in 3 women in the UK not taking up the invite for their cervical screening check, I’m striving to help women make informed decisions about their health. I’ve set out to share a variety of experiences of the cervical screening process – from invitation to after-party. Thank you to the women who’ve told me their stories; everything I share in this series is with expressed consent and I’ve changed names where desired.

Rachel, 25.

I had my first smear test last year. I wasn’t looking forward to it because I had heard some awful stories but it was fine. Yeah, it was uncomfortable and I felt a bit awkward having someone look at my vag but all the results came back fine. Hoping that my next test in 3 years is just as uneventful.

Photo by Jeff Denlea from Pexels