FAQs About a Colposcopy
- Posted on: Mar 15 2019
“It’s time to get your pap smear,” isn’t exactly a phrase that we know that our patients are fond of hearing but it’s recommended that women between the ages of 21 and 65 get pap smears every three years on average. During your pap smear, we will collect some cells to check for things like cervical cancer. If your cells come back as abnormal, then we may do a procedure called a colposcopy. So, what is a colposcopy and what can you expect from this kind of procedure? Let’s take a closer look so that you have more of an idea about what you can expect.
What Is a Colposcopy?
The first thing that you probably want to know is, “what is a colposcopy?” This type of examination, allows us to take a closer look at your cervix with a microscope to see if there are any abnormal cells or concerns with your cervix.
What Does It Feel Like?
First things first, we will talk you through every part of your colposcopy as we do it, so that you feel calm and informed every step of the way; we have found that this helps to relax patients. The good news is that, typically, patients won’t feel any pain during a colposcopy, but some patient may experience a slight amount of cramping similar to a routine pap smear or cervical examination.
Will I Have to Have a Biopsy?
Not necessarily. If we can see some abnormalities on your cervix, then we will usually take a biopsy to send it off to the lab. If, however, we don’t see anything wrong with the cervix then we may not do anything at all.
If you have to have a colposcopy, we are here to answer any questions that you have. As a fairly routine thing, you won’t have to worry about taking any extensive time off work and you can resume your regular activities right after. To learn more, contact us at our Phoenix office today and call us at 602-494-5050.
Posted in: Gynecology