Review of receiving free national cervical cancer screening at the Ansan Hospital of the Workers' Welfare Corporation

At the Ansan Hospital of the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service, where I visited earlier this year to undergo the national health checkup

Sharing my review of the cervical cancer screening. For those who haven't had it done yet.

I will also provide five pieces of information you might be curious about regarding cervical cancer.

 

Until now, I had been getting cervical cancer screenings at the obstetrics and gynecology clinic I usually visit.

This time, I received a comprehensive health checkup at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department within the Workers' Welfare Corporation Ansan Hospital.

 

I have been receiving cervical cancer screenings continuously since my thirties.

People are surprised that some felt pain during cervical cancer screening.

I have never been sick before, but I was wrong this timeㅜ

 

First, lie down inside, and then the doctor will come in.

Don't you usually do at least a greeting?

I thought you would at least say that you're starting.

They just quickly came in to collect the cells.

I was quite surprised, and the pain and, above all, the discomfort were overwhelming. I wondered if some machine had come and gone.

If this is your first time receiving care, I wouldn't recommend the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Workers' Compensation Corporation Ansan Hospital.

 

The examination results are

Reactive cell changes were observed, and a re-examination was conducted after 6 months. Since this was my first time receiving the test results, I looked it up.

 

'Reactive cellular change' is a normal condition, so if the examination was conducted during a severe inflammatory state,

After approximately six months in the future, once the inflammation treatment has progressed to some extent, a repeat cell biopsy will be performed.

You just need to check if it is returning to normal.

If symptoms such as increased vaginal discharge and itching are accompanied, this may be a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or similar condition.

It may be meaningful, so it is necessary to seek obstetric and gynecological care.

 

Fortunately, I did not have any symptoms such as discharge or itching.

Therefore, I think it would be good to check again through a re-examination soon.

 

 

I believe that cervical cancer screening is a very important test for women. It is a crucial examination that allows for early detection of abnormal cell changes in the cervix, which is essential for preventing cervical cancer.

 

I would like to share five important pieces of information about cervical cancer screening.

 

What is the difference between free national health checkups and gynecological examinations?

 

Basically, a cervical cancer test involves collecting epithelial cells from the cervix and examining them under a microscope.

➡️ These are cervical cancer cell collection brushes and cotton swabs.

 

Cervical cancer screening involves observing changes in cell shape. The cervix is exposed using a speculum, and cells are collected. For national free screenings, a cotton swab is used for collection. The collected cells are rolled onto a glass slide using the cotton swab and then transferred directly onto the slide.

 

Meanwhile, in most general obstetrics and gynecology clinics, the most commonly used liquid-based cytology test involves collecting cells with a collection brush, then placing them in a fixative solution before sending them to the laboratory for examination.

 

The accuracy and sensitivity of free national cell screening tests may be 50-70% lower compared to liquid-based cytology tests in obstetrics and gynecology, making precise confirmation difficult.

 

Can I get tested during my period?

 

Since you cannot undergo the test during your period, it is recommended to take the test about a week after your period has ended.

Use of vaginal douches or sexual activity from three days before the test

Avoidance helps ensure accurate testing.

 

How will the test results come out?

 

The test results usually come out 1-2 weeks later.

The results are broadly divided into normal and abnormal.

Normal refers to the absence of abnormal cells.

You can have the examination again in two years.

If you experience an adverse reaction like me, it says to recheck after 6 months.

 

Is the test fee free?

 

Women aged 20 and above are eligible for free screening in the year they are eligible. Since national screenings are typically conducted every two years, women born in odd-numbered years are eligible in odd-numbered years, and women born in even-numbered years are eligible in even-numbered years.

 

The price for a paid check-up, not a free one, ranges from 50,000 to 70,000 won.

Reimbursement for the actual expense insurance can be claimed when an abnormal finding occurs and a biopsy is performed.

 

If you have no sexual experience, do you need to get tested?

 

If you have no sexual experience, you do not need to undergo a Pap smear test. However, even if you have no sexual experience, if you experience symptoms such as abnormal uterine bleeding or discharge, you may consider visiting an obstetrician-gynecologist for testing.

 

Cervical cancer has no specific symptoms in its early stages, so early detection through regular screenings is very important.

 

Please do not be afraid of gynecology; be brave and get a cervical cancer screening.