Couples ‘split up because of a smear test’
ABNORMAL RESULTS CAN LEAD TO DISTRUST
WOMEN with abnormal smear test results are ending relationships because they wrongly believe their partner has cheated on them, a specialist Hull nurse has revealed.
Hull nurse colposcopist Sarah Bolton said many mistakenly suspect their partners have been unfaithful after their smear tests show they have human papillomavirus (HPV).
The city has “high numbers” of abnormal smear results, which are thought to be linked to the city’s high smoking rates, according to Hull and East Yorkshire (HEY) Hospitals NHS Trust.
The trust says another reason for the high numbers is because women become sexually active at a younger age in Hull than they do in other parts of the country.
On receiving the results, women also fear they have full-blown cancer or a form of HIV because of similarities between the initials, despite there being no connection between the two viruses.
All affected women are invited for a colposcopy at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital for further investigations where they are treated by Ms Bolton.
“My appointments last about 30 minutes and the majority of that time is spent unravelling misconceptions,” she said. “I think it’s important to give the women the facts so they know exactly why they need to come for a colposcopy.
“Some people think they’ve got HIV and lots think they have cancer because they’re convinced they’ve got the symptoms they’ve found on Google.
“I’ve known women to end their relationships because they think their partner has been unfaithful. Others have been accused by their partners of cheating.”
HPV is a very common infection carried by eight in every ten people with active sex lives. HPV is transmitted by sexual intercourse, however you can also have it for weeks, months or years without you even realising or experiencing problems.
Some smears show up HPV, which can cause precancerous cells to develop on the cervix and the women are referred to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital for a colposcopy to prevent the cells mutating into cervical cancer.
Ms Bolton said: “You or your partner could have contracted it before you met each other and you wouldn’t know as it can lie dormant for weeks, months and even years.
“It’s only if the virus causes the cells around your cervix to change that it will be picked up during a smear test. However, HPV is not the only reason for the cells to change. Having a baby or getting a coil fitted can also cause abnormal cells which require further examination through a colposcopy.
“Although it is transmitted through sex, you can also catch it through intimate sexual contact so you don’t even need to have full sex to be infected with HPV.”
Ms Bolton, who became a gynaecology staff nurse in 1994, is one of just 400 nurse colposcopists in the country, trained to perform the tests previously only carried out by consultant gynaecologists.
She sees around 55 women at her six clinics held at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital every week, many of them fearing they have cancer because they have been told their smear rest has shown abnormalities.
Ms Bolton said: “It’s very rare that I see women with cervical cancer and what I would say to women is this is all about health prevention. It’s essential they come for their appointments to prevent problems developing in the future.”