What it is
A colposcope is a lighted magnifier on a stand. It stays outside your body. Only the speculum goes in.
Dr. Mueller washes the cervix with a vinegar solution. Abnormal areas turn white and show her where to take a sample.
This is the next step after an abnormal Pap or a positive HPV test from another office. It is not a repeat Pap.
Why it is done
- An abnormal Pap result from another office
- A positive high-risk HPV test
- Abnormal results that keep coming back
- Bleeding after sex or between periods
- A cervix that looks abnormal on exam
- Follow-up after a LEEP or a cone biopsy
What happens, step by step
- 1
Speculum in place
A speculum opens the vagina the same way it does for a Pap.
- 2
Vinegar wash
A vinegar solution goes on the cervix and turns abnormal areas white.
- 3
The look
The colposcope magnifies the cervix from a few inches away.
- 4
Small samples
Dr. Mueller takes one or two pieces of tissue a few millimeters across.
- 5
Bleeding stopped
A brown paste on the spot stops the bleeding.
- 6
Lab results
The tissue goes to the lab and Dr. Mueller calls you with the reading.
Questions people ask
- Does a colposcopy hurt?
- The look itself does not. If a sample is taken you feel a pinch and a cramp for a few seconds.
- Can I drive home?
- Yes. No sedation is used and you can go back to work.
- What if I am on my period?
- Light bleeding is fine. Heavy bleeding hides the cervix, so call and move the appointment.
- Will a biopsy affect getting pregnant?
- A colposcopy biopsy takes a few millimeters of tissue and does not affect fertility. Treatments that remove more are a separate conversation.
- What should I expect afterward?
- Spotting and a dark discharge for two or three days. Nothing in the vagina for a week.
- Does an abnormal Pap mean cancer?
- No. Most abnormal results are cell changes from HPV, and many clear on their own. The biopsy is what sorts that out.