Many women aged 30 to 34 years postpone taking part in population screening for cervical cancer. Only 3 in 10 women take action within 12 weeks of the invitation. This trend is concerning, since this is the group in which human papillomavirus (HPV) is most common. Cervical cancer develops from a long-term HPV infection. To prevent women from delaying indefinitely, the Centre for Population Screening (BVO Nederland), the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) and the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) have launched a joint campaign throughout the Netherlands with the slogan: “Do it today!”. The campaign was launched at the start of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

Despite increase, participation remains low  

The percentage of women aged 30 to 34 years taking part in cervical cancer screening rose from 41% in 2022 to 48% in 2023. Despite this positive development, more than half of this group does not use their invitation. This is mainly because they keep putting it off. The reasons are wide-ranging: women lose their invitation, do not know if the invitation is still valid, forget about it, are still choosing whether to take part, or postpone due to pregnancy.  

What you can do today

Headed by the slogan “Do it today!”, the campaign encourages women not to disregard their invitation, but to take immediate action. A checklist with the actions (in Dutch) you can take today is available. It includes what to do if you lost the invitation, are unsure if it is still valid, are currently pregnant, or are still making up your mind. 

Cervical cancer can be prevented 

In the Netherlands, about 900 women develop cervical cancer annually, and 200 people die from this form of cancer every year. The risk of cervical cancer is highest among women aged 30 to 45 years. Taking part in the national screening programme means that cervical cancer can be detected early, or even prevented. If abnormal cells are found, the findings often show a precancerous abnormality that can be treated. 

Smear test or self-test

From the age of 30, women are invited to take part in free cervical cancer screening every five to ten years. Screening can be done by the GP with a smear test, or at home using a self-test that checks for the presence of HPV. Since last July, it has been even easier to take part: all women in the Netherlands who turn 30 now receive the self-test with their invitation.