Guidelines for women concerning routine cervical cancer screening is changing.
Cancer Care Ontario says women who are sexually active should start regular screening at the age of 21.
Previous guidelines said Cervical cancer screening is recommended every three years for all women starting at age 21 who are or ever have been sexually active.
The updated guidelines clarify the age of screening initiation and optimum screening interval.
The new guidelines also say that young women who are not sexually active by the age of 21 should delay cervical cancer screening until they start having sex.
The guidelines add that once women start to be screened, they should have a Pap test every three years until the age of 70, regardless of whether they are still sexually active.
The new statement says women over the age of 70 who have had three or more normal tests in the previous decade can stop having regular screening tests.
