Cervical health · Central London EC1
Abnormal Smear Result: What Happens Next
An abnormal smear or a positive high-risk HPV result is unsettling, and the letter explaining it rarely says much. This page sets out what the result does and does not mean, what normally happens next, and where we can help.
We provide consultant-led cervical screening — high-risk HPV DNA testing, with a cytology report added free if HPV is found — and a gynaecology consultation to go through an abnormal result properly. We do not perform colposcopy ourselves; where it is needed, we refer.
Cervical screening from £150 · Consultation £200
If colposcopy has been mentioned
What it is, and when it is needed
Colposcopy is a closer examination of the cervix using a magnifying instrument, usually arranged after an abnormal smear or a positive high-risk HPV result. It is a diagnostic procedure carried out in a dedicated colposcopy clinic, often with a biopsy taken at the same time.
It is not a screening test, and it is not something you would book without having been advised to. If your screening programme has recommended colposcopy, that referral is normally arranged for you.
What we can help with
Cervical health at AristoGP
Cervical screening
Smear with high-risk HPV testing for 14 types, carried out by a consultant gynaecologist, with a written report.
Understanding a result
A consultation to go through an abnormal smear or positive HPV result and explain what it does and does not mean.
Onward referral
Where colposcopy is indicated, a written referral to an appropriate colposcopy service.
If you have been told you need colposcopy urgently, do not wait for a private appointment. Contact the clinic that issued the result, or your NHS GP.
Related care and reading
Common questions
Colposcopy: what patients ask
What is a colposcopy?
A close examination of the cervix using a colposcope, a magnifying instrument that stays outside the body. It is used to look at the surface of the cervix in detail after an abnormal screening result, and it takes around fifteen minutes.
Does AristoGP perform colposcopy?
No, and we would rather say so plainly. AristoGP carries out cervical screening and arranges onward referral to a hospital colposcopy unit where one is needed. The procedure itself is performed there, not at our clinic.
Why has colposcopy been recommended?
Usually because screening found high-risk HPV together with cell changes, or because a sample has been abnormal more than once. It is a closer look rather than a diagnosis, and most women referred for colposcopy do not turn out to have anything serious.
What happens during the appointment?
You lie as you would for a smear. A liquid is applied to the cervix which makes abnormal areas show up more clearly, and the colposcope is used to examine them. Most people find it similar to a smear test, perhaps a little longer.
Will I need a biopsy?
Sometimes a small sample is taken for the laboratory. It can cause a brief pinch and some light bleeding or discharge afterwards. Results usually take a few weeks and are explained to you rather than simply posted.
What treatment might follow?
If significant cell changes are confirmed, the usual treatment is LLETZ, which removes the affected area and is normally done under local anaesthetic in the same unit. Many results need no treatment at all, only a repeat test later.
Book cervical screening
Consultant-led screening in Central London, with a written report and a clear explanation of your result.