Many women who have had a hysterectomy assume cervical screening no longer applies to them. Some are right and some are not, and the difference comes down to details of the operation that are often never clearly explained.
There is more than one kind of hysterectomy. An operation that removes the uterus along with the cervix is a total hysterectomy. One that leaves the cervix in place is called a subtotal or supracervical hysterectomy. If the cervix is still there, routine cervical screening still applies, because the organ being screened is still in the body. This is where the misunderstanding most often arises.
If the cervix was removed, a second question follows: why was the operation done? If it was for a reason unrelated to cancer, such as fibroids or heavy bleeding, and there was no history of abnormal cervical cells, further screening is generally not required. If it was done because of high-grade cell changes or cancer, doctors usually recommend continuing to sample the top of the vagina for a period afterwards — often called a vault smear.
The practical step is to find your operation summary, or ask your doctor which type of hysterectomy you had and why. Those two pieces of information answer nearly the whole screening question. If the paperwork cannot be found, an internal examination can confirm whether the cervix is still present.
See a doctor to review whether screening still applies to you if you are unsure which operation you had, and sooner if you have any vaginal bleeding after a hysterectomy or persistent unusual discharge.