Cervical cancer screening
Keywords:- laboratory
- HUSLAB
- cervical cancer screening
We invite women aged 25 to 65 to cervical cancer screening free of charge every five years.
The purpose of cervical cancer screening is the early detection and treatment of cervical pre-cancers. This will prevent the growth of actual cervical cancer.
The screening is free of charge. For women aged 30 or above, it is performed with an HPV test; for women under 30, it is performed with a Pap smear test.
Municipalities are required by law to organize cervical cancer screening for their residents.
We provide cervical cancer screening in the Uusimaa and Kymenlaakso regions.
For more information about the South Karelian screening program, please visit the Eksote website: Eksote: Mass screening
All women aged 25 to 65 are invited to screening tests by HUSLAB every five years. Cervical cancer screening is free of charge. In 2021, women born in 1956, 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996 will be invited for testing.
We strongly recommend participating in the screening regardless of your sexual activity, contraceptive method, or sexual orientation. You should also participate in the screening even if you have received an HPV vaccine or if you have had a hysterectomy.
You will be pre-booked for an appointment, and you will be notified of this in a letter sent to your home address. If the pre-booked appointment is not convenient, you may reschedule it online or by calling our customer service. You may also cancel the appointment if you do not wish to participate in the screening.
If you have a mobility impairment, please contact our customer service. Also contact us if you have previously had any difficulty with sampling in connection with the screening.
We send screening invitations by the number of the date of birth of those eligible. Depending on the municipality, we receive information about those eligible for cervical cancer screening in two or three batches. Invitations are sent between March and June to women born either between the 1st and the 10th or the 1st and the 15th of the month. Between July and October, we send invitations to those born between the 11th and the 20th or the 16th and the 31st of the month. Between October and December, we send invitations to those born between the 21st and the 31st of the month in municipalities that send invitations in three batches.
Previously, invitations were sent by the birth month.
We send invitations to the following municipalities in two batches:
- Askola
- Hanko
- Hamina
- Ingå
- Karkkila
- Kauniainen
- Lapinjärvi
- Loviisa
- Miehikkälä
- Mäntsälä
- Pornainen
- Pyhtää
- Raseborg
- Sipoo
- Siuntio
- Vihti
- Virolahti
We send invitations to the following municipalities in three batches:
- Espoo
- Helsinki
- Vantaa
- Hyvinkää
- Järvenpää
- Kerava
- Kirkkonummi
- Kotka
- Kouvola
- Lohja
- Porvoo
- Tuusula
If you have a valid non-disclosure for personal safety reasons, then we cannot obtain your address details from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency for mailing invitations to you. You must then book an appointment for sampling either online or by calling our customer service.
Please bring your KELA card or other ID to the screening appointment along with the cervical cancer screening form on paper that you were sent by mail. Please fill in the form before arriving for your appointment. You may also print this form out online.
Cervical cancer screening form
cervical-cancer-screening-form-2021.pdf (pdf 240.51 KB) (opens in new window, links to another website)If you are pregnant, it is generally possible to take a screening sample up until week 35 of the pregnancy. The sampling does not pose any hazard to your pregnancy.
After childbirth, a screening sample may be taken once you have recovered, generally 1–2 months after delivery.
You may participate in the screening if you are breastfeeding.
Screening sampling is not recommended if you are having your period, but any other discharge does not prevent sampling.
You should participate in the screening even if you have had a hysterectomy.
Samples are taken by a specially trained nurse. The nurse will first collect a sample from your vagina and cervix using a spatula and from the cervical canal using a brush. The nurse will then brush the samples onto a microscope slide and finally rotate the sampling brush in an HPV sampling tube.
If you have had a hysterectomy, the nurse will take a sample from your vagina using a brush.
You will be mailed your results within about one month of the sampling. If nothing abnormal is found, you will receive your next invitation to screening in approximately five years.
In the case of abnormal findings, you will receive a letter with instructions on further examinations. You will also receive a separate invitation to the further examinations by letter to your home address or by phone.
Any further examinations required will be made at a gynecological outpatient clinic in your area. In the case of slight cell changes, it is sufficient to have a control sample taken 1 or 2 years later. For this sampling as well, you will receive a personal invitation.
The screening shows your status at the time when the sample is taken. For the majority of women, the test results are normal, i.e. with no indications of HPV infection or cell changes in the cervix. Even if cell changes are found, in most cases they are slight and do not indicate cancer or pre-cancer.
Laboratory booking and customer service
Call our helpline to book a laboratory appointment or if you have any questions about preparing for laboratory tests. You can reach us at the number 09 471 86800 on weekdays 7:30 a.m.–3:30. p.m.
Treatment facilities
Tullinpuomi laboratory
The Tullinpuomi laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kouvola health center laboratory
The Kouvola health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Askola health center sampling point
The sampling point at the Askola health center is closed until further notice.
Iso Omena laboratory
The Iso Omena laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Leppävaara laboratory
The Leppävaara laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment.
Samaria laboratory
The Samaria laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Tapiola laboratory
The Tapiola laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Hamina laboratory
The Hamina laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
HUSLAB Kamppi
The HUSLAB Kamppi laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kalasatama laboratory
The Kalasatama laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Myllypuro laboratory
The Myllypuro laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Oulunkylä laboratory
Laboratory services at Oulunkylä laboratory are available mainly by appointment only, but walk-in appointments are available if needed.
Vuosaari laboratory
The Vuosaari laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Hyvinkää health center laboratory
The Hyvinkää health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Järvenpää laboratory
The Järvenpää laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kauniainen laboratory
The Kauniainen laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kirkkonummi health center laboratory
The Kirkkonummi laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kerava health center laboratory
The Kerava laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Karhula health center laboratory
The Karhula laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kotkansaari laboratory
The Kotkansaari laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
North Kymi Hospital laboratory
The North Kymi Hospital laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Valkeala health center laboratory
The Valkeala health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Lohja health center laboratory
The Lohja health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Lohja Hospital laboratory
The Lohja Hospital laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment.
Mäntsälä health center laboratory
The Mäntsälä health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Laboratory in Klaukkala, Nurmijärvi
The laboratory in Klaukkala, Nurmijärvi has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment.
Nurmijärvi kirkonkylä laboratory
The Nurmijärvi kirkonkylä laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Porvoo health center laboratory
Laboratory services at the Porvoo health center laboratory are available by appointment only until further notice.
Raseborg Hospital laboratory
The Raseborg Hospital laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Nikkilä health center laboratory
Laboratory services are available by appointment only until further notice.
Hyrylä laboratory
The Hyrylä laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Kellokoski health center laboratory
Laboratory services at Kellokoski are available by appointment only.
Myyrmäki laboratory
The Myyrmäki laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment. On Saturdays…
Tikkurila laboratory
The Tikkurila laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment. On Saturdays…
Nummela health center laboratory
The Nummela health center laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.
Leiri sampling point
The Leiri laboratory has a take-a-number queue system, but you may also book an appointment. We recommend booking an appointment.