Cervical Cancer Screening with the HPV Test and the Pap Test in Women Ages 30 and Older
When to Get Tested and How to Make Sense of Your Test Results
If you are 30 years or older and…
- your Pap test is normal
- your HPV test is negative
…you can wait 5 years before being tested again for cervical cancer!
If you have had a Pap test and HPV test, this booklet will answer your questions about:
- Cervical cancer
- Human papillomavirus (HPV)
- Cervical cancer screening tests
- What your Pap test result means
- What your HPV test result means
- What your Pap and HPV test results mean together
- How to prevent cervical cancer
- Common questions about HPV
- How to talk to your partner about your test results
- Resources
- Glossary
- Know the facts
- Questions to ask your doctor
Getting abnormal results does not mean that you have cervical cancer now. For specific questions about your test results, talk to your doctor.
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control
4770 Buford Hwy NE
MS K-64
Atlanta, GA 30341 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC-INFO


