During an annual wellness visit with a primary care provider, you can expect to get certain health screenings. From blood pressure checks to lab work, each is designed to measure your health. For females, that may include tests to check for cervical cancer.
What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer is when the cells of the cervix turn into cancer cells. This usually happens slowly. The cells will start out by becoming abnormal before turning into cancer cells.1 According to the American Cancer Society, women between 35 and 64 years old are most commonly diagnosed with cervical cancer.2
Cervical cancer symptoms
When cervical cancer first starts to develop, there are usually no symptoms, according to the National Library of Medicine.1 When symptoms start to show, you might experience abnormal vaginal bleeding, watery or bloody discharge, and pelvic pain.
How do you get cervical cancer? What causes it?
Most cervical cancer is caused by a long-lasting human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV can spread through close skin-to-skin touching usually during sexual activity.1
There are specific types of the virus that cause cervical cancer, and unfortunately, they are very common. Most people who are infected with these types of HPV don’t even know they have it.1 The immune system will usually fight off these “high-risk HPV” strains in a couple of years.
If the infection isn’t under control and it lasts for many years, the virus can start to change the cells of the cervix until they’re abnormal. Without treatment, these cells can keep mutating until they are cancerous.1
Cervical cancer screenings
Routine screenings for cervical cancer may include a pap smear or an HPV test. A pap smear involves a medical provider collecting cells from the cervix and sending them to a lab to look for abnormal cells. If an HPV test is performed, cells from the cervix are tested to see if you have one of the high-risk strains of the virus.
These preventive screenings are typically covered by insurance at little to no cost. Select Health members can go to the Select Health website to find a provider and schedule cervical cancer screenings.
Cervical cancer screening recommendations
Guidelines from the American Cancer Association (ACA) outline who needs testing, which kind of testing, and when it’s recommended.3
Women with an average risk of cervical cancer should start screenings at age 25 and continue until at least 65-years-old. The ACA recommends HPV testing every five years. If your provider decides you only need a pap test, get screened every three years.
If you are 65 years or older, you may stop screening if recent tests have come back normal. If you don’t remember the last time you had a screening, you should keep getting screened until you have two normal HPV tests or three normal pap tests in a row.
You will need to customize a screening plan with your doctor if you’ve experienced any of the following issues:
- Previous abnormal test results or a cervical precancer
- History of cervical cancer
- Higher risk of developing cervical cancer because of a weakened immune system
- Exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) before birth
An annual visit with your doctor is your chance to go over recent health changes and evaluate your screening options going forward.
Reduce your cervical cancer risk
The CDC says there are two main ways to reduce your risk of cervical cancer: vaccines and screenings.4
The HPV vaccine
The HPV vaccine protects against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cancer. It is recommended for preteens 11-12 years old, but kids as young as 9 can get the first dose.4
The vaccine is also recommended for teens and adults through 26 years old. Some women ages 27-45 may decide to get the vaccine after discussing risks with their doctor.
Screenings
Routine cervical cancer screenings can help find cells that may be abnormal or cancerous. If your pap smear results come back showing abnormal cells, following up with recommended treatment is important to help prevent cancer cells from developing.
Prioritize your health
Reducing your risk of developing cervical cancer may be as simple as getting routine screenings and vaccines. By meeting with your primary care provider regularly, you can determine the best test and frequency for your health. To find a doctor or provider near you, visit the Select Health website.
Do you need a new health insurance plan? We’ve got you covered. Find the plan that works best for you and your family on the Select Health website.
Yes. Though it’s rare, some people with cervical cancer test negative for HPV. Whether these are false negative results or the patient truly does not have HPV, only 5.5-11% of cervical cancer cases are HPV-negative, according to a review published in Frontiers in Oncology.5
Maybe. The CDC says it’s unknown whether condoms prevent the spread of HPV. However, using condoms has been linked to a lower rate of cervical cancer.4
Yes. The ACA recommends all women with an average risk 25-65 get a screening regularly.3
Usually. Select Health plans cover preventive screenings at little or no cost to members. There are national programs that can help reduce or eliminate the cost for women who qualify.
The content included here is for your information and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Additionally, this information does not guarantee benefits. To review your benefits, please reference your plan materials or call Member Services at 800-538-5038 weekdays, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., closed Sunday. TTY users call 711.
Sources
1. Cervical Cancer, National Library of Medicine
2. What Is Cervical Cancer?, American Cancer Society, 2025
3. The American Cancer Society Guideline for Cervical Cancer Screening, American Cancer Society, 2025
4. Reducing Risk for Cervical Cancer, Centers for Disease Control, 2024
5. Human Papillomavirus-Negative Cervical Cancer: A Comprehensive Review, Frontiers in Oncology, 2021
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