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Cervical Cancer Screening & HPV Vaccination

August 31, 2026 0Comment

One of the few cancers we can genuinely prevent

Cervical cancer is among the most common cancers affecting women in Bangladesh, and it is almost entirely preventable through vaccination and screening. It develops slowly over years from precancerous changes that cause no symptoms — which is exactly why screening works and why waiting for symptoms does not.

Screening options:

• Pap smear (cervical cytology) — a quick, largely painless sample from the cervix. Recommended every 3 years from age 21–30.
• HPV DNA testing — more sensitive; every 5 years from age 30, or co-tested with cytology.
• VIA (visual inspection with acetic acid) — the method used in Bangladesh’s national screening programme, widely available and effective.
• Colposcopy — detailed examination with a magnifying instrument, done when screening is abnormal, with biopsy if needed.

If your result is abnormal: the great majority of abnormal smears are not cancer. Most are low-grade changes that resolve on their own or are treated simply with LEEP/cryotherapy in an outpatient setting. We will explain exactly what your result means before you have time to panic about it.

HPV vaccination protects against the virus types responsible for the large majority of cervical cancers. It works best when given before any exposure — ideally ages 9–14 — but is also beneficial for older girls and women up to around 45. Bangladesh has introduced HPV vaccination into its national programme for schoolgirls; we can advise you on eligibility, the current schedule and vaccination for those outside the programme.

Symptoms that need assessment without waiting for a screening date: bleeding between periods, bleeding after intercourse, bleeding after menopause, persistent foul-smelling discharge, or persistent pelvic pain.