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Abstract
Objectives
United Kingdom (UK) guidelines recommend delaying cervical screening due during pregnancy to 12-weeks postnatal without evidence to support. This questionnaire-based study aimed to determine the feasibility of a clinical study of cervical screening and urine self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) at 6-weeks postnatal, as pilot work suggested this would improve uptake, if offered at the routine postnatal check-up.
Methods
Females who were pregnant/recently pregnant were invited to participate in a web-based questionnaire. Questions assessed acceptability of postnatal cervical screening at 6-weeks postnatal, analysed with Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Free text responses were coded using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA) to conduct a qualitative content analysis.
Results
Of 454 participants, 266 (58.65%) would be more likely to have cervical screening if offered at 6-weeks postnatal, more if offered urine self-sampling (n = 338; 74.4%). Two-thirds (308/454; 67.8%) would be willing for screening at 6-weeks postnatal for a research study and 356/454 (78.4%) willing if limited to urine self-sampling. When considering screening modality, over half (245/454; 54%) would prefer urine self-sampling to cervical screening, although a fifth (93/454; 21%) preferred conventional sampling. Free text responses were provided by 279 participants, and these highlighted that affective attitude and burden TFA constructs underpinned prospective acceptability of having screening at 6-weeks postnatal.
Conclusions
Offering cervical screening at the 6-week postnatal check-up has potential to increase cervical screening participation. Most participants would be interested in taking part in research. Feasibility of screening at 6-weeks postnatal and concurrent acceptability should be tested in pilot clinical studies.
United Kingdom (UK) guidelines recommend delaying cervical screening due during pregnancy to 12-weeks postnatal without evidence to support. This questionnaire-based study aimed to determine the feasibility of a clinical study of cervical screening and urine self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) at 6-weeks postnatal, as pilot work suggested this would improve uptake, if offered at the routine postnatal check-up.
Methods
Females who were pregnant/recently pregnant were invited to participate in a web-based questionnaire. Questions assessed acceptability of postnatal cervical screening at 6-weeks postnatal, analysed with Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Mann-Whitney tests. Free text responses were coded using the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability (TFA) to conduct a qualitative content analysis.
Results
Of 454 participants, 266 (58.65%) would be more likely to have cervical screening if offered at 6-weeks postnatal, more if offered urine self-sampling (n = 338; 74.4%). Two-thirds (308/454; 67.8%) would be willing for screening at 6-weeks postnatal for a research study and 356/454 (78.4%) willing if limited to urine self-sampling. When considering screening modality, over half (245/454; 54%) would prefer urine self-sampling to cervical screening, although a fifth (93/454; 21%) preferred conventional sampling. Free text responses were provided by 279 participants, and these highlighted that affective attitude and burden TFA constructs underpinned prospective acceptability of having screening at 6-weeks postnatal.
Conclusions
Offering cervical screening at the 6-week postnatal check-up has potential to increase cervical screening participation. Most participants would be interested in taking part in research. Feasibility of screening at 6-weeks postnatal and concurrent acceptability should be tested in pilot clinical studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of medical screening |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Jul 2025 |
Keywords
- Cervical screening
- postnatal
- pregnancy
- HPV-testing
- Self-sampling
- mixed methods
- acceptability
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Dive into the research topics of 'Investigating the acceptability of cervical screening, using conventional clinician-taken cervical samples or urine self-sampling, at 6-weeks postnatal: a cross-sectional questionnaire'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
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NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre
Bruce, I. (PI), Lord, G. (CoI), Lennon, R. (CoI), Black, G. (CoI), Wedge, D. (CoI), Morris, A. (CoI), Hussell, T. (CoI), Sharrocks, A. (CoI), Stivaros, S. (CoI), Buch, M. (CoI), Gough, J. (CoI), Kostarelos, K. (CoI), Thistlethwaite, F. (CoI), Kadler, K. (CoI), Barton, A. (CoI), Hyrich, K. (CoI), Mcbeth, J. (CoI), O'Neill, T. (CoI), Vestbo, J. (CoI), Simpson, A. (CoI), Singh, S. (CoI), Smith, J. (CoI), Felton, T. (CoI), Murray, C. (CoI), Griffiths, C. (CoI), Cullum, N. (CoI), Rhodes, L. (CoI), Warren, R. (CoI), Paus, R. (CoI), Dumville, J. (CoI), Viros Usandizaga, A. (CoI), Keavney, B. (CoI), Tomaszewski, M. (CoI), Allan, S. (CoI), Body, R. (CoI), Cartwright, E. (CoI), Heagerty, A. (CoI), Kalra, P. (CoI), Miller, C. (CoI), Rutter, M. (CoI), Smith, C. (CoI), Trafford, A. (CoI), Evans, D. (CoI), Davidson, E. (CoI), Crosbie, P. (CoI), Harvie, M. (CoI), Howell, S. (CoI), Renehan, A. (CoI), Dive, C. (CoI), Blackhall, F. (CoI), Landers, D. (CoI), Krebs, M. (CoI), Cook, N. (CoI), Clarke, R. (CoI), Taylor, S. (CoI), Jorgensen, C. (CoI), Lorigan, P. (CoI), Jayson, G. (CoI), Valle, J. (CoI), Mccabe, M. (CoI), Armstrong, A. (CoI), Freitas, A. (CoI), Illidge, T. (CoI), Choudhury, A. (CoI), Hoskin, P. (CoI), West, C. (CoI), Van Herk, M. (CoI), Faivre-Finn, C. (CoI), Bristow, R. (CoI), Kirkby, K. (CoI), Birtle, A. (CoI), Mackay, R. (CoI), Radford, J. (CoI), Linton, K. (CoI), Higham, C. (CoI), Munro, K. (CoI), Plack, C. (CoI), Arden Armitage, C. (CoI), Bruce, I. (CoI), Moore, D. (CoI), Saunders, G. (CoI), Stone, M. (CoI), Haddock, G. (CoI), Lewis, S. (CoI), Elliott, R. (CoI), Green, J. (CoI), Lovell, K. (CoI), Morrison, A. (CoI), Shaw, J. (CoI), Bucci, S. (CoI), Ainsworth, J. (CoI), Webb, R. (CoI), Newman, W. (CoI), Banka, S. (CoI), Clayton-Smith, J. (CoI), Payne, K. (CoI), Moldovan, R. (CoI), Wynn, R. (CoI) & Jones, S. (CoI)
1/12/22 → 30/11/27
Project: Research
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