What happens after an HPV test?

A negative result means high-risk HPV was not detected in the sample. You may return to the screening schedule advised for your age and previous results. A positive result means high-risk HPV was detected; it does not by itself show that you have cancer. HPV can clear or remain quiet, so follow-up depends on the HPV type, cervical cell findings, and your screening history.

Read the result instructions and arrange the follow-up your clinician recommends. Some people are asked to repeat the HPV test after an interval so that persistent infection can be assessed. If cell changes need a closer look, you may be referred for a colposcopy, which examines the cervix under magnification and may include a small sample. Keep the appointment even if you feel well, because HPV often causes no symptoms.

Contact your clinician promptly if you have bleeding after sex, bleeding between periods, unusual vaginal discharge, or pelvic pain. These symptoms have several possible causes, but they deserve assessment rather than waiting for the next screening date. Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, severe pain, fainting, or feeling very unwell.

Ask which HPV result was found, whether cervical cells were also checked, and when your next test is due. You can also ask why colposcopy has been suggested, what the examination involves, and how to obtain your written result.