Are we pretending that cervical smears aren't painful?

Cervical screening saves lives  but for some women, the experience can be painful, distressing, or difficult to talk about. In this episode of Her Whole Health, Rebecca explores why cervical screening is so often described as “just a little uncomfortable,” even though some women experience significant pain, anxiety, cramping, or distress. She looks at factors that can make intimate examinations more difficult, including menopause, vaginismus, endometriosis, pelvic pain, and previous trauma.   Rebecca also discusses informed consent, self-advocacy, power imbalances in intimate care, and why telling women to “speak up” is not enough if the environment does not make them feel safe enough to do so.