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Cervical Biopsy In Pregnancy



 Submitted by Medical Health Test Team on August 4, 2010
Cervical Biopsy In Pregnancy

The cervix is a part of the female reproductive system. It is located above the vagina at the mouth of the uterus. The cervix is narrower than the uterus. During menstruation, the uterus lining is discarded along with some blood. This process is assisted by the widening of the cervix. This is the process that causes most of the discomfort associated with a woman’s period. The cervix is also vulnerable to cancer with cervical cancer being a common form of cancer suffered by women, particularly older women who are nearing or have passed menopause.

A cervical biopsy procedure can be performed in order to confirm if the woman is suffering from cancer. This is usually conducted after there is some indication of an abnormality in the cervix. This abnormality is usually detected in routine medical checkups or in tests such as a pap smear test. A biopsy procedure involves the removal of some tissue from an organ where a tumor or a collection of abnormal cells has been noticed. Sometimes biopsy procedures may be conducted based on blood test results indicating the possibility of cancer. For a cervical biopsy, the visual test using a colopscopy procedure is enough to prompt the doctor to go for a biopsy.

A cervical biopsy is slightly complicated when it comes to pregnancy. A woman who is pregnant may have an abnormality detected in her cervix during a normal health checkup that is conducted on expecting mothers. A cervical biopsy does not affect the pregnancy in any way if it is conducted properly and at the right time. There is a risk of miscarriage at the early stage of pregnancy. This is why a cervical biopsy is not recommended during this phase. Even if a subsequent miscarriage is unrelated, it will be associated with the cervical biopsy procedure. The best time for this procedure is usually the 2nd trimester as this is after the stage of miscarriage and before the stage where labor could be induced.

The procedure for the biopsy remains the same. As with women who are not pregnant, a biopsy may cause discomfort and may result in cramping similar to that felt during menstruation. Some women get scared when this happens as they feel that they are losing their unborn child but this is not the case at all. A cervical biopsy during pregnancy is conducted on an outpatient basis and the woman is allowed to return home immediately after the procedure if there are no complications.

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