Say goodbye to the dreaded Pap smear.
While skipping it has long been a major gyno-no, the annual health checkup for cervical cancer is possibly one of the most disliked activities for women.
But new federal guidelines have expanded the options for cervical cancer screenings to include an at-home option — and no stirrups are involved.
Regular screenings — either every three or five years, depending on age — are recommended to check for human papillomavirus. HPV causes cervical cancer — a disease that claims more than 4,000 lives per year.
New recommendations by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA, part of the Health and Human Services department) state that women ages 30 to 65 with average risk of cervical cancer can choose to do a self-administered HPV test in place of a Pap.
Self-swab options could even be covered by insurance starting in 2027 since preventative screenings recommended by HRSA are required to be covered by most companies, along with follow-up testing.
This follows the latest research that shows HPV tests are more accurate than Pap smears in detecting abnormal cells.
And with the FDA approval of Teal Wand from Teal Health, the first at-home cervical cancer test, last spring, women now have more options instead of scheduling an appointment to go to a doctor’s office.
The at-home recommendations offer more accessibility and could increase screening rates, as “currently 1 in 4 women aren’t regularly screened due to access issues or discomfort with traditional exams,” Teal Health co-founder and CEO Kara Egan previously told The Post.
Self-administered tests can resemble a tampon applicator, with a plastic tube inserted into the vagina and twisted to collect cervical cells on the soft tip.
This can be preferred to the traditional cold metal speculum that widens the vaginal canal and often causes many women pain and discomfort.
The FDA previously approved two self-swab tests back in 2024 that could be done in healthcare settings like a doctor’s office.
Even the American Cancer Society updated its guidance to endorse self-swab HPV tests for women ages 25 to 65 back in December.
Cervical cancer is preventable if caught early enough. However, rates continue to increase every year among women in their early 30s and 40s.
The timelines for when women should get checked remain largely unchanged, depending on the age groups.
Women between 30 and 65 should get an HPV test every five years, either by a clinician or at home, or a Pap every three years if they don’t have access to an HPV screening.
Meanwhile, women under the age of 30 should be screened every three years via a Pap smear.
