I am a little annoyed. After all the publicity on womb cancer, my 19yrs old grandaughter who has a baby, went  for a smear test, to be told No! no one under the age of 25yrs can have a smear test. Now if they are old enough for sex at 16yrs old, the pill also the coil, they also know that the cancer is connected to sperm also the HPV virus I think this is very irresponsible of the government to do this. If you did    have cancerous cells say at 17yrs old, it could be to late by the time you are 25yrs of age. How do they expect them to be responsible adult, if this is how they are treated!

Totally wrong I spoke to my sons OH and she had her first in Rugby at 17, I know I was having them around my 20's, in Hampshire.
I understood that you could request one when you become sexually active! Its definately the rule here at around 20. My son's OH had a call back when she was 22 it was all clear by 23 and she's off for one agin now she's 24.
I'd go complain, but if she has had a baby she may have been checked at that time?

A dear friends daughter died at 32 from cervical cancer, its so easily preventable, maybe worth going private is she is really worried?

It's up to the health board when they advise that you start getting smears.  She should still be able to insist on one though - I didn't think they could stop you from getting one.

In England they advise not having one until you are more mature because of the higher instance of confusing results in developing woman which could lead to unecessary treatment which in turn may increase slightly the risk of miscarriage or premature births.  Like many things in medicine it is about trying to get the balance of risk and benefit right for the majority of people.

I agree Isabel, but! I bet Jade Goody wished they had. If women are sexually active then they should be offered a smear test.
In the sixties and seventies, the birth pill was only given to married women,  Others had to use a sheath, so they were not at risk. In England they say we have the most school girl pregnancys, the girls are now in school untill they are mostly 19yrs old in the sixties it was 15yrs. There was no sex education in schools, and no where as many pregnant young girls. There was not on tap abortions. So if they are going to promote sex in schools at a young age. Which in my opinion they are, they should give the back up in health care. I bet they will not be showing what has happened to Jade (bless her) at the same time they teach the young about having sex. In my opinion it all goes back to money.

Denese