Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, but only if it is caught early. It typically takes several years to develop, moving through precancerous stages before it becomes cancer. A Pap Smear catches these early changes, often before they cause any symptoms at all, giving you the chance to treat them long before cancer ever has a chance to start.
At FV Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, this screening is available at a fraction of the cost of comparable programmes in Singapore, Australia, or the UK. Sondax handles scheduling, timed to your cycle for accuracy, and provides English-language support throughout.
This screening is designed for women aged 21 to 29. Cervical cancer most often affects women 40 and older, but the precancerous changes that lead to it can begin decades earlier. Regular screening from your early 20s, combined with routine check-ups, is what allows most deaths from cervical cancer to be prevented altogether.
A Pap Smear involves collecting a small sample of cells from the surface of the cervix, the lower part of the uterus. The sample is examined under a microscope for any abnormal or precancerous changes. If changes are found, they can typically be monitored or treated well before they would ever develop into cancer.
For women aged 21 to 29, the Pap Smear alone, without HPV testing, is the recommended screening approach, since HPV infections are extremely common at this age and often clear on their own without causing lasting harm. From age 30 onwards, testing shifts to include high-risk HPV (hrHPV) alongside or instead of the Pap Smear, as HPV becomes a more meaningful predictor of risk with age.
You check in and are seen privately by a Gynaecologist. The Pap Smear itself takes only a few minutes and involves brief pressure rather than pain. Your Gynaecologist explains each step beforehand so there are no surprises. Results and any recommended follow-up are discussed with you in English. FV Hospital also offers a separate Cervical Cancer Screening programme for women aged 30 to 65, which adds high-risk HPV testing alongside the specialist consultation.
Schedule your Pap Smear for two weeks after your last menstrual period ends. Avoid intercourse, vaginal medication, contraceptives, lubricants, and douches for 48 hours before the exam. Other exams and additional tests are not included in this programme. All prices are per person and subject to change without prior notice.
FV Hospital was established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003 and is a member of Thomson Medical, one of Southeast Asia's leading healthcare groups. FV was the first hospital in southern Vietnam to earn the JCI Gold Seal in 2016, and has renewed its JCI accreditation four consecutive times with over 98 percent compliance across more than 1,200 international patient safety and quality criteria.
With 45+ specialties, 210+ Vietnamese and international doctors, and care for more than 6 million patients since 2003, FV blends French and Vietnamese medical expertise and provides English- and French-speaking staff for international patients.
