Accra, March 29, GNA - Women have been called upon to seek early test of cervical cancer to help them know their status and prevention measures to be taken to protect them.

Ms Gertrude Osikafo-Anteh, Principal Midwifery Superintendent with the National Population Council who gave the advice on Thursday in an interview with the GNA said women who were sexually active and between the reproductive ages of 25 to 45 were at higher risks contracting the disease.

She said the disease often manifested itself in abnormal growth of cells especially around the mouth of the cervix, which if not checked and treated grew into cancer.

Ms Osikafo-Anteh said women who engaged in practices such as smoking, bleaching, and regular change of partners as well as insertion of herbal products into their private parts were at high risk and advised them to desist from the acts. She said the test for cervical cancers was carried out in all hospitals at a reduced cost, mentioning Visual Inspection of the cervix with Acetic Acid (VIA) as the most common test. Ms Osikafo-Anteh noted that with VIA, women could be screened easily.

She said in cases when pre-cancer was detected, immediate treatment such as such as chemotherapy, which froze and painlessly destroyed the pre-cancerous cells, was administered. Ms Osikafo-Anteh advised women who were experiencing unusual sores at the mouth of the cervix to go for testing for early diagnose and treatment.