MORE than a fifth of women in Wales could be putting themselves at risk of developing cervical cancer by ignoring screening invitations, a charity is warning.

Figures from Public Health Wales show a slight fall in the amount of Welsh women taking up an invitation for cervical screening during 2014/15.

Seventy-eight per cent attended Wales-wide last year, down from 78.6 per cent in 2013/14 – but the former figure is the lowest for seven years, and the fourth successive, albeit slight, fall in uptake.

Fewer than three-quarters of 60 to 64-year-olds (73.4 per cent) attending their cervical screening invitation last year.

In Gwent, uptake was above the Welsh average, at 79.2 per cent, second only to that in Powys (80.8 per cent). Uptake in Gwent the previous year was 77.3 per cent, but comparison is difficult as age ranges and screening intervals were different.

The age and interval at which women are invited to attend their cervical screening changed in 2013 in Wales, to fall in line with England.

Women aged 25-49 are invited for screening every three years, and 50 to 64-year-olds every five years, compared to the previous 20 to 64-year-olds every three years.

“The cervical screening programme saves around 5,000 lives in the UK every year, yet we continue to see more and more women not taking up their cervical screening invitation promptly,” said Robert Music, chief executive of the charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

“We know that various barriers to screening exist such as fear and embarrassment, a lack of knowledge about the test, cultural and language barriers as well as being unable to take time off work.

“This needs to be urgently addressed,” said Robert Music, chief executive of the charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.

“Research shows that if screening were to increase from its current level to 85 per cent, Wales could see a 22 per cent reduction in numbers of women diagnosed with cervical cancer in just one year.

“However, if it continues to fall to levels around 70 per cent, incidence could rise by 13 per cent in one year.”