A cervical smear is a way of screening for cervical cancer. It involves using a speculum (instrument that is inserted into the vagina) to visualize the cervix and take a sample of cells from the cervix. It can be an uncomfortable examination but should not be painful. The cells are then analysed to assess for any pre-cancerous changes. Pre-cancerous changes can then be treated before a cancer develops.
Globally, cervical cancer screening using the smear test has drastically reduced the numbers of cases of cervical cancer. Due to this clear benefit, it is recommended that every woman has a cervical smear test done at regular intervals.