Virgin

[JustJayne01]

My daughter is a virgin, something which I am extremely proud of, and has been told that she has to have a smear test. She is adamant that she doesn't want anything "up there" when she has never had sex and the surgery insist that she must sign a declaration stating her reasons for not having one. From everything I have read and know, cervical cancer is more common in women who have had sex. She is right not to have one isn't she?

[Mr. Hugh Byrne, MRCOG]

The HPV virus that cause abnormal smears is spread by sexual contact, not just penetrative intercourse, so the situation should be reassessed with that in mind.