Experts say women should be allowed to have smears every five years rather than every three years if they meet one condition.
Currently, all women aged 24 to 49 get free NHS screenings for signs of cervical cancer, three years apart.
But a study from King’s College London found that screening was just as effective if checks were five years apart.
However, the five-year screening should only be offered to women who have tested negative for HPV.
The virus — a group of bugs called human papillomavirus — is responsible for nearly all cases of cervical cancer, and women who don’t have it are at a much lower risk.
HPV-negative women don’t need to be screened as often, which may improve their attendance, say researchers at King’s College.
Dr Matejka Rebolj said: “These results are very reassuring.
“Changing to screening every five years means we can prevent more cancers as before, while allowing for less screening.”
Screening tests look for changes in cervical cells that can lead to cancer.
About 3,000 women develop cervical cancer each year, leading to Jade Goody’s death at the age of 27, but it is more common in younger women.
The HPV vaccine is now eliminating the virus that causes most cases, so the incidence is declining.
Women who are HPV-positive should still be tested regularly, but appointment times may vary for women who are negative, Dr. Rebolj wrote in the BMJ.
The UK National Screening Council has recommended that the NHS use a five-year interval for HPV-negative patients.
Medical staff hope more women will be able to attend screening appointments if they don’t have to go as often.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “This study shows that cervical screening with HPV testing can be effective in preventing cervical cancer without the need for frequent screening.”
