Vastmanland offers HPV self-testing

From November, women aged 30 to 70 in Vastmanland will be offered a home self-test for HPV.

Starting in November, the Vastmanland region will begin offering women between the ages of 30 and 70 to self-test at home for HPV, the human papillomavirus, the virus that can cause cervical cancer. In most cases, a self-examination replaces a midwife visit, but the opportunity to conduct an examination in a midwife’s office remains for those who wish to do so.

In principle, all cervical cancer is caused by HPV infection, and therefore it is important to get tested for your health in the future, says Bjorn Svartsgaard, chief physician at the Women’s Clinic at the Västmannland Hospital in Västerås.

Regular sampling reduces the risk of cancer by more than 90 percent, and the earlier it is detected, the greater the chance of successful and effective treatment.

The Vastmanland region begins sending out sampling materials to women aged 30 to 70 in the first phase starting in early November, after which more phases will follow. During 2023, about 15,000 women are expected to get the test kit.

The test itself takes a few minutes, and the Vastmanland region writes that HPV self-testing is as safe and effective as having the test at a midwife.

If the test shows HPV, you will be called for a cell sample to be taken by a midwife, no later than three months after the test result. If the biopsy shows changes in the cells of the cervix, you will be called to see your doctor. It is important to provide a sample even if you have been vaccinated against HPV because the vaccine does not provide 100% protection against cervical cancer.