Cervical Cancer Screening
Pap Smear & HPV testing
The Pap test, also called a Pap smear, checks for changes in the cells of your cervix. The Pap test can tell if you have an infection, abnormal (unhealthy) cervical cells, or cervical cancer.
Most women are tested for HPV (human papillomavirus) at the same time that they receive a Pap smear at a routine check up. HPV testing looks specifically for any indication that you have a type of HPV that can lead to cervical cancer.
For more information about Pap Smears and HPV testing, click here: http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/pap/default.htm#sec5
Colposcopy
Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix and vagina with a low power microscope called a colposcope. It is used to aid in the diagnosis of cervical disease after abnormal Pap smear results or when you cervix looks abnormal after an examination. This examination takes between 10 and 20 minutes.
The cervix is then viewed through the colposcope, which is placed at the opening of the vagina. The colposcope provides a magnified view that clearly shows abnormalities and locates the appropriate area from which to take tissue samples (biopsy).
For more information about colposcopy, click here: http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq135.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20121017T0918300435
LEEP
Cervical LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) is a procedure used to treat cervical dysplasia. Dysplasia is a precancerous change in the cells of the cervix. A LEEP removes the abnormal area of dysplasia from the cervix.
To perform a LEEP procedure, a wire loop is hooked to a machine that creates an electrical current to remove the area of the cervix that is abnormal. Women can either be awake or asleep during the procedure. If a woman chooses to be awake, the doctor will put some numbing medicine into the cervix. If a woman chooses to be asleep during the procedure, she would have anesthesia though an IV. The entire procedure typically takes about 10-15 minutes to perform.
For more information about LEEP procedures, click here: http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq110.ashx