Women of menopausal age are less likely to take up cervical screening invitations, putting them at an increased risk of developing cervical cancer, the HSE has said.

The national cervical screening programme, CervicalCheck, is open to all women aged between 25 and 65. They are invited to attend screening every three to five years depending on their age and screening history.

However, new data shows that attendance tends to decline as women age and as a result, those over the age of 50 have a slightly higher risk of developing changes that could develop into cancer.

A public attitudes survey carried out in 2021 on behalf of the HSE found a number of barriers among women of menopausal age. These included a fear of the process, embarrassment and finding screening more uncomfortable at this age.

Furthermore, half of all women surveyed said a fear of finding something was wrong would deter them from attending screening, while one in five women said they were concerned about attending due to Covid-19.

A recent Australian study published in the journal, Preventive Medicine, found that women who underwent screening every five years between the ages of 50 and 64 had the lowest subsequent risk of developing cervical cancer.

The highest risk – 10 in 1,000 - was found in those who had abnormal tests between the ages of 50 and 59 and then no tests between the ages of 60 and 64.

Among women aged 50-59 with no test, having just one test between the ages of 60 and 64 halved their subsequent risk of cancer from 8.4 to 3.5 in 1,000. (This study can be viewed here.)

This issue is being highlighted as part of Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (January 17 – 23). The National Screening Service is particularly focusing on women over the age of 50 in an attempt to get them to continue, resume or take up screening.

According to Dr Sarah Fitzgibbon, primary care clinical advisor with CervicalCheck, once women have finished having periods, they often feel that they no longer need screening, however, this is not the case.

She also appealed to women in their 50s who have never undergone screening to take part.

“We are letting women know that just because you haven’t had a test done before, you absolutely can come in and have a test done. Once you’re in the eligible age category, you can come any time and to any registered screener,” she explained.

CervicalCheck clinical director, Dr Nóirín Russell, pointed out that cervical cancer is typically slow growing, developing over 10 to 15 years, “so it is important for women to continue to come for screening at regular intervals pre- and post-menopause”.

“We know that for some women the screening test can be more uncomfortable after menopause and this might put them off coming. However, there are things we can do to alleviate this. We’d ask these women to consult their GP on ways to make the test more comfortable for them,” she said.

Around 300 women develop cervical cancer every year in Ireland and 90 die annually from the disease. Almost 150 women diagnosed with cervical cancer each year are diagnosed in screening. For more information on CervicalCheck, click here.