Most women who are positive for non-16/18 HPV on a cervical screening test can safely delay colposcopy for up to two years, according to updated guidance to apply from 1 February.

The change means that low-risk women with persistent oncogenic HPV infection other than types 16 and 18 at their 12-month follow-up test can have another test at 24 months before referral for colposcopy.

Data from the National Cervical Cancer Screening Program has found women with persistent non-16/18 HPV infection are forming a “large proportion of colposcopy referrals with a very low yield of high-grade abnormalities”, says Professor Marion Saville, who chaired a review of the guidelines.

Since the screening program was revamped with a primary HPV DNA test in 2017, the recommendation has been that women with low-risk HPV types and a low-risk or negative reflex cytology result are rescreened in 12 months and referred for colposcopy if persistent HPV is detected.