In 2017, Aiko’s routine Cervical Screening Test came back as abnormal, a result that surprised her as she wasn’t sure what this meant for her or what she would need to do next.
Her doctor told her that the test had detected HPV (human papillomavirus) but as it was not a high-risk strain, she could come back in a year to see if she had cleared the HPV infection naturally.
When two monitoring Cervical Screening Tests in 2018 and 2019 came back with abnormal results, her doctor referred her to have a colposcopy to check that everything was okay.
“When I was told I needed a colposcopy, I was a bit nervous because I had never heard of it before and didn’t know anyone who had been through it. I had no idea what to expect,” she said.
Aiko had a lot of questions, but she knew that it was important to have the test for her health.
“I wanted to know if there was something wrong so that I could do something about it before it got worse,” she said.
On the day of her colposcopy, her nurse showed her into the room and the doctor talked her through the procedure, which she said made her feel more relaxed. During the procedure, her doctor took a biopsy to take a closer look at the cervical cells for any abnormal changes.
“The procedure was a bit uncomfortable, and I did experience a bit of pain similar to menstrual cramps, but it really wasn’t too bad,” she said.
“The colposcopy itself only took about five minutes. It was over very quickly, and I felt so relieved afterwards. It felt good to have gotten the test done and to know that I had done what I could to look after my health," Aiko said.
Aiko received her results a few weeks later letting her know it was all clear.
Her advice for anyone who has been referred to a colposcopy is to not put it off and to bring a family member or friend along with them if they would prefer.
“If you do have support people around you, don’t hesitate to ask them to come with you if you need support, it really can make a difference,” Aiko said.
Read more about colposcopy and how to prepare for the procedure.
Read more about colposcopy