England’s Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening (ACCS) has developed new guidelines [pdf] for screening cervical cancer in young women who experience symptoms such as bleeding after sex or between periods, pain during sex or an unusual discharge. Screening for cervical cancer normally begins at age 25 in England, as it is rare in young women. The new guidelines were developed after the ACCS discovered that young women seeking medical consultations for abnormal bleeding often experience delays in diagnosis because they do not receive a full pelvic examination.
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