Colposcopy
Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare
If your Pap test is abnormal, additional screening with a simple in-office procedure called a colposcopy can help safeguard your health. The highly qualified multidisciplinary obstetrics and gynecology team at Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare offers colposcopy at three convenient locations in Fayetteville, Newnan, and Stockbridge, Georgia. Your provider performs a repeat Pap and can offer you advanced treatments, such as a LEEP, when necessary. Call today or book a consultation online.
Colposcopy Q & A
What is a colposcopy?
A colposcopy is a procedure your provider recommends when your Pap test results are abnormal. A colposcopy is a magnifying device your provider uses to look at your cervix. The provider evaluates the size, type, and location of abnormal cells.
During the procedure, your provider may take biopsies to send to a lab for testing. Your provider uses this information to determine whether your cells are precancerous or cancerous and to recommend treatment if need be.
What happens during a colposcopy?
Your colposcopy is performed in an exam room at Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare. The procedure takes approximately 5-10 minutes.
As you lie on an exam table, your provider opens your vagina with a speculum. Your provider performs a repeat Pap smear, then inserts the microscope-like colposcope. A vinegar solution is applied to your cervix to help highlight any abnormal areas. Although you may feel a cold or slight burning sensation when the solution is applied, it doesn’t hurt.
During your colposcopy, your provider may take small biopsies of abnormal tissue from your cervix or vagina. You may feel mild discomfort or cramps. Afterward, your provider applies a solution to your cervix that serves as a liquid bandage.
What happens after a colposcopy?
Most women can go back to work or school after the procedure. Some women experience mild pain or cramping, but this usually goes away within 1-2 hours.
If you had a biopsy of your cervix, you may have minor bleeding or brown or black vaginal discharge that looks like coffee grounds. The bleeding and discharge should stop within a few days.
Your results come back in 7-14 days. You may need follow-up care if your test results show signs of severe abnormalities.
What is a LEEP?
Your provider may recommend an outpatient procedure called a loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). During this treatment, your provider inserts a thin, wire loop through your vagina, then turns on an electric current to remove a cone-shaped portion of your cervix where the abnormal cells are located.
Afterward, you’ll have follow-up appointments to make sure your cervix is healing properly.
If you’ve had an abnormal Pap recently, or have a history of cervical abnormalities, Southern Crescent Women’s HealthCare offers high-quality care at three convenient locations. Call today or book a consultation online.
