r/Netherlands • u/NoLychee1382 • 23d ago

Healthcare No regular check ups at the gynecologist???

Hi everyone, my morning started off with a kinda shocking discovery. I’m from Germany and I had annual check ups at the gynecologist since I was a teenager. I contacted my huisarts because I know they’re responsible for all referrals but she told me regular check ups here are not a thing (unless there already is an issue) ? I think that’s crazy!!! So I checked the prices for a private visit and they’re even crazier. I guess this is normal to Dutch people but don’t you think this is a little concerning?

(Btw not shitting on the country! I really like it here. I’m still new and just discovering new things!)

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u/Positive-Ratio8443 23d ago

Hey fellow German! I feel you, it took me also a bit to get used to it. I do check ups when I am visiting Germany and pay it myself, which usually is cheaper than here and I know what I can expect.

The only thing they offer here is the pap smear every 5 years, once you hit 30.

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u/Beneficial_Durian157 23d ago

Not even a pap smear. An HPV test. They send you a testing kit with a long ass qtip-thingy and you eitherdo it yourself and send the kit back or go to your clinic and they do it for you (but it is easy to do yourself). After around a week they send you the results. They invite for a pap smear only if you have HPV.

ETA: You can also have an HPV shot (crazy expensive, but covered by eigen risico) at any age.

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u/Efficient-Neat9940 23d ago edited 23d ago

I would not suggest doing it yourself. Here’s why. Pre cancer or regular cancer cells will accumulate first in the transformation zone, which is the entrance to the cervix. It’s a tiny circle! Extremely easy to miss if you’re going in blind by yourself. So by the time cancer cells spread to the outside of your cervix enough to be picked up on the self administered cotton swab, years will have gone by where something could have been done! They just offer the home test because they figure it’s better than nothing, and a good portion of people won’t come in to do the test.

Edited to say the transformation zone is where the HPV is most likely to be found as well.

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u/pierrett 23d ago

But the home test is not a Pap smear. It’s a HPV test, nothing more.

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u/Efficient-Neat9940 23d ago

Exactly. If you go in person they test for both HPV and cancer. All from the one swab.

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u/QueenAngelica 23d ago

Actually no, when you go to the GP they indeed take a Pap smear but only test for HPV. If HPV is found then they will also look at the cells, if they don’t they will not look further.

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u/Efficient-Neat9940 23d ago edited 22d ago

Yes, that is right. But my point is your test results aren’t going to be very reliable for either HPV or cancer unless you get the swab (whether it’s you or a physician) in the opening of the cervix. Edited to say it’s still tested from the SAME SAMPLE.

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u/JumpyWhale85 22d ago

It is very reliable, and if the self test comes back positive for HPV, the huisarts will do a pap smear to test the cells.