Extended colposcopy of the cervix. Gynecological procedure colposcopy: what it is and how to prepare for it

Colposcopy (from "colpos" - referring to the vagina and "scopy" - examination with an apparatus) is diagnostic research, in which the vagina and cervix are examined using a special microscope - a colposcope. By itself, this is a non-invasive procedure that does not require any punctures or painful manipulations, the main objective which - to examine the pathological areas. If, during the procedure, the doctor suspects cancerous or precancerous changes, he can immediately perform some tests, and if the diagnosis is thus doubtful, a biopsy of this area is immediately performed.

To receive accurate results colposcopy requires simple preparation. There are also some nuances after research.

Method essence

Colposcopy is performed using a device called a colposcope. This is a special microscope equipped with an illumination system that allows you to obtain a stereo image of the objects under study. The device is not inserted anywhere: its optical head does not closely approach the vagina, which has been previously expanded with conventional mirrors. Further, light is directed into the vaginal cavity, which evenly illuminates the walls of the vagina and the cervix. A more detailed examination of the smallest structures of the reproductive organs is achieved by selecting a replaceable eyepiece with a higher degree of magnification.

Colposcopy is able to visualize minimal changes in the epithelium, to determine their exact localization, shape and boundaries.

If in such a microscope the doctor sees areas of the epithelium that differ from the normal for this area, he can treat them with an iodine solution. In "good" cells there are substances that will capture iodine and stain, while cancer tissue does not contain such substances, so its area will be white.

There are other tests for detecting precancerous and cancerous conditions, but if suspicion does not dissipate with their help, then you can, after treating the neck with an anesthetic, immediately conduct a biopsy.

Indications for colposcopy

The diagnostic procedure should be performed in such cases:

1. During a routine gynecological examination, it was found;
2. Vaginal discharge
3. Pulling pains in the lower abdomen;
4. Discharge of any volume of blood from the vagina that occurs outside of menstruation;
5. Obtaining a "bad" smear result, examined by a cytological method;
6. Discharge after sex;
7. Discomfort during intercourse;
8. Suspected inflammation of the uterine cervix;
9. Genital warts or warts;
10. Suspected precancerous conditions such as ectropion, erythro- and leukoplakia, polyps
11. Scheduled - once a year for women over 40;
12. In order to control the effectiveness of the treatment.

Types of procedure

Examination of the cervix with a colposcope can be performed in the form of:

1. Simple colposcopy, in which a routine examination of the reproductive organs is performed;
2. The extended method - when the examination is supplemented by carrying out either a test with acetic acid, or - with Lugol's solution;
3. The color method, when the neck is painted green or blue to identify suspicious areas;
4. Digital research: the data obtained about the structure of the cervical epithelium are processed by a computer and fed to the monitor. This makes it possible to enlarge the image by more than 50 times;
5. Luminescent colposcopy: the cervix is ​​treated with dyes that luminesce in different ways - cancerous in one color, healthy in another. The examination is carried out using ultraviolet rays.

Colposcopy has no contraindications. It can be performed on any day, except for those when your period is on. During pregnancy, a simple colposcopy can be performed if indicated.

On what day of the cycle is the diagnosis carried out?

Examination with a colposcope can be done on any day of the cycle, but not during menstrual bleeding. Optimal for holding this study are 5-7 days, that is, the second or third day after the end of menstruation. It was during this period that the mucous membrane was not yet renewed enough, because of which the true picture will be visible (atypical cells are not renewed during menstruation).

How to prepare for the procedure

In order for the colposcopy data to be adequately interpreted, it is necessary to observe the following rules 1-2 days before the procedure:

• to exclude sex life;
• do not douche;
• do not use vaginal forms of drugs.

It is not necessary to follow a diet or cleanse the intestines before manipulation. You need to take a sanitary napkin with you.

Methodology

The procedure is performed without any anesthesia, since it is identical in pain to a regular gynecological examination. You will need to undress below the waist and lie down on a chair. The doctor will insert the speculum into the vagina (it feels like cold), then bring the colposcope to them. Next, using a long clamp, the doctor will insert a gauze swab into the vagina, which will cleanse the cervix from secretions. It doesn't hurt at all, but it still feels.

If the doctor sees you have erosion or other pathology, he will conduct a test with iodine or another dye. During such a manipulation, it may tingle or bake a little inside. If it is necessary to conduct, the doctor will definitely ask the patient's consent and will take everything necessary measures so that it goes away painlessly.

After examination

If a woman underwent a simple colposcopy, without tests or biopsy, then there is no need to change her usual lifestyle after the procedure. If a biopsy was performed, then within a week it is impossible:

1. live a sex life;
2. go to the bathhouse or sauna;
3. lift weights;
4. to pump the muscles of the press, lower limbs or perform heavy physical exercises;
5. apply tampons;
6. douche.

Within 2-3 days after the procedure, it is absolutely normal if:

• slight brown or red blood discharge, without clots;
• yellowish or brownish mucus (after iodine solution);
• greenish discharge(after acetic acid);
• pulling minor pain in the lower abdomen.

It is necessary to consult gynecologists when:

1. you have to change more than 1 pads by 4 drops per hour (provided that it cannot be monthly);
2. vaginal discharge has bad smell;
3. the temperature has risen;
4. the stomach hurts badly.

Procedure during pregnancy

The time when a woman's uterus develops new life, is not a contraindication for simple colposcopy: this way you can find out the state of the cervical canal, the cervix itself, find out the possibility of natural childbirth.

Dye tests are not used during this period. A biopsy is performed only when the question is at stake cancerous tumor- only this manipulation can provoke bleeding or premature birth (simple colposcopy differs little from examination in mirrors).

Thus, colposcopy is painless and safe procedure required for women's health... Feels slightly more unpleasant than normal. gynecological examination, but its value for diagnostics is many times higher. The main goal of this study is to identify changes that can degenerate into cancer in their very early stages.

Colposcopy is considered a fairly simple and very common way to detect many diseases of the cervix. However, it is characterized by a rather high degree subjectivity, because its effectiveness is largely determined by the literacy of the doctor. It is also extremely important to understand on what day to do the colposcopy so that it is as informative as possible. Let's talk about this later in this article.

Optimal time for research

Every woman must certainly take care of her health and undergo regular check-ups with a gynecologist. As part of such preventive examinations, doctors often prescribe colposcopy to patients.

Analysis

In order for the results of the analysis to be as accurate as possible and help to timely identify the disease of the cervix, if present, it is better to carry out the procedure at a certain time menstrual cycle women.

After all, not every day of the cycle, a study of the epithelium of the vulvar neck using a colposcope will give adequate results. Therefore, a woman must inquire about this fact in consultation with a gynecologist.

Study

Optimal time for this method examination of the vulvar neck is the 1st half of the menstrual cycle of the fair sex. Qualified professionals will prescribe this test 3 days after completion menses.

You should not carry out this procedure during menstruation, since the presence of blood and areas of the torn off mucous membrane of the vulva will close the doctor's review. Insufficient visibility of the vaginal walls and cervix can make colposcopy useless.

Another time

And if 2-3 days after the end of menstruation are missed, can a woman do colposcopy at another time?

It can also be done after ovulation. At this time, the cervical canal is filled with a large amount of mucus, which interferes with the analysis. As a result, his results are distorted and cannot be considered accurate.

Also, the fair sex should not carry out the procedure in the second half of the menstrual cycle, since at this time its consequences will be somewhat more complex. The fact is that the mucous membrane of the organ after ovulation heals longer due to the slow pace of regeneration processes.

What are the restrictions

In principle, the study of the mucous membrane of the cervix using a colposcope does not have any restrictions. However, some points should still be taken into account by the patient who is going to undergo given view survey.

Physiological changes in the body of the fair sex that accompany the menstrual cycle affect on the information content of the procedure. Therefore, if they are available, you should not agree to carry out this analysis. Such changes are considered:

• menstrual bleeding: at this time, any manipulations are not recommended for a woman at all, since the mucous membrane will heal very slowly. In addition, blood will interfere with any operation;
• ovulation period: the presence of a large volume of mucus in the cervical canal distorts the results of colposcopy. The fact is that mucus is a consequence of changes hormonal background... Its viscosity at this time increases, so the information content of the analysis is reduced to zero.

Colposcopy of the vulvar neck should not be performed when received by a woman local treatment inflammatory process. It is also worth postponing the analysis if very little time has passed since the moment when similar treatment ended. Do not soak or douche the day before the study. Otherwise, its information content will be low.

How to prepare for analysis

When visiting a gynecologist, a representative of the fair sex should ask a specialist in as much detail as possible about the optimal day for conducting a study of this kind. It is necessary to determine the day of the onset of menstruation and count the 7th day of the cycle. If a woman is characterized by too large or, conversely, too small a cycle, the doctor must take this fact into account and determine the best day for analysis.

Colposcopy is one of the diagnostic instrumental methods examination, widely used in gynecology. With help special device colposcope doctor under high magnification examines the mucous membranes of the vagina and cervix. This study allows the gynecologist to assess the condition of the woman's genitals, identify erosion of the cervix, differentiate benign and malignant processes and detect other pathologies. During the study, if necessary, targeted tissue biopsy is performed.

How is colposcopy performed

Today almost all are equipped with colposcopes antenatal clinics v large cities... All manipulations are performed on a conventional gynecological chair. To provide an overview, the doctor inserts special instruments into the patient's vagina - gynecological mirrors. Then the colposcope, equipped with optical and lighting systems, is located at a certain distance from the vagina, and the doctor proceeds directly to the examination.

Modern colposcopes are equipped with a video camera and transmit information to a computer screen, so the doctor has the opportunity not only to examine the patient himself, but also to send the video to colleagues if additional consultation is needed. Older models of colposcopes resemble a conventional microscope, which allows the doctor to simply see the organs under study under high magnification (without video recording of the procedure).

In time, colposcopy lasts no more than half an hour, on average 15-20 minutes.

Extended colposcopy

Sometimes a visual examination is not enough for an accurate diagnosis, and then the doctor performs samples with reagents during the examination. The essence of the method lies in the fact that healthy and pathological areas of tissues react differently to the application of various substances.

• Treatment with a 3% solution of acetic acid allows you to see disturbances in the structure of the mucous membranes more clearly, since under its influence they narrow blood vessels and the blood supply to the inspected area decreases.
• The treatment of suspicious areas with Lugol's solution is called Schiller's test. Its essence lies in the fact that healthy cells that form the mucous membranes that fall into the field of view of the colposcope contain glycogen, which absorbs iodine and is brightly colored. In the presence of pathology in the cells, the glycogen content decreases, therefore, when stained with Lugol's solution, they remain pale.

Indications and contraindications

This study is assigned in the following cases:

• chronic inflammatory diseases vagina and;
• differential diagnostics benign and malignant tumors(polyps, papillomas, etc.);
• diagnostics ;
• examination in the presence of erosion on the cervix;
• differential diagnosis for suspected pseudo-erosion (ectopia);
• suspicion of;
• control of the treatment.

There are no strict contraindications for colposcopy. However, the procedure should be postponed in the following situations:

• uterine (including menstrual), cervical or other bleeding;
• spicy inflammatory process in the field of research;
• the first 2 months after childbirth and surgical operations on the external genitals, vagina or cervix;
• month after abortion.

It is contraindicated to carry out tests with acetic acid and Lugol's solution if you are allergic to these substances. In such cases, a routine colposcopy and sampling of material for histological examination are performed.

FAQ

Is colposcopy done during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is not a contraindication to colposcopy, however, during this period, this study is carried out only for strict indications (for example, if cancer is suspected).

Pregnancy at any time is not even relative contraindication to colposcopy. However, for pregnant women, this procedure is performed only if there is a suspicion of a malignant nature of changes in the mucous membrane of the genital organs. In other cases, the examination can be postponed to a later date.

Does colposcopy hurt?

Any gynecological procedures, especially those for which various medical devices cause unreasonable fear in many women. In fact, colposcopy is one of the most painless procedures; mirrors installed in the vagina during the study can cause minor discomfort to a woman. A slight soreness can be caused by the procedure for taking material for a biopsy, there may be a slight burning sensation when taking a sample with an acetic acid solution, which passes very quickly. In general, when performing colposcopy, there is no need to use pain relievers.

How to prepare for a colposcopy?

Special preparation for the examination is not required. For the procedure, you should choose the days of the menstrual cycle in which there will be no bleeding. A couple of days before colposcopy, it is advisable to exclude sexual intercourse, do not use tampons, suppositories, do not douche and baths in order to preserve the natural flora of the vagina.

Which doctor to contact

For colposcopy, you should contact experienced gynecologist who can recognize well pathological process and take biopsies from all required sites. In the future, you may need to consult a venereologist or oncologist.

The first city TV channel in Odessa, medical certificate on the topic "Colposcopy":

Content

Almost every woman undergoes colposcopy every year. This non-invasive and easy-to-use diagnostic method is prescribed at the slightest suspicion of cervical pathology, so the method can be called routine. Ideally, all patients with an abnormal cytology result and positive result studies on the HPV spectrum, should undergo a colposcopy procedure. The main goal of the study: to identify precancerous changes at the initial stage.

As a diagnostic method gynecological diseases, is one of the stages of identifying background and precancerous changes on the surface of the cervix. Every year a girl or a woman at preventive examination the gynecologist has several mandatory procedures: palpation of the uterus and appendages on the chair, smear on flora and cytology from cervical canal... If leukocytosis is detected in a smear or 3-4 degrees of vaginal purity, an analysis is made for genital infections by PCR method... The procedure includes research on pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

High oncogenic risk human papillomavirus detection and detection in cytogram atypical cells, inflammatory response is the reason for the colposcopy procedure. With a visual assessment of the cervix, it is impossible to draw conclusions about the presence of pathology.

The colposcopy procedure makes possible assessment states of the following structures of the neck:

• squamous and columnar epithelium;
• transformation zones - the area of ​​transition from one type of tissue to another;
• vessels;
• glands;
• the presence of formations - polyps, cysts, warts, foci of endometriosis.

The cervix is ​​the primary target for bacteria and viruses on the way to the uterine cavity. Acidic environment vagina, normal work ovaries in terms of estrogen production, cervical mucus are able to protect integumentary epithelium cervix and cervical canal, thereby carrying out barrier function in relation to the uterine cavity. But absolutely healthy women who do not have problems in the reproductive system are rare today. Therefore various pathological conditions cervix is ​​diagnosed quite often in girls and mature women.

The colposcopy procedure is increasingly becoming necessary for annual screening. Changes in the structure of the stratified squamous epithelium covering the part of the cervix visible in the vagina become distinguishable through the use of a gynecological microscope, the same applies to the cylindrical epithelium of the external os and the visualized part of the cervical canal. The colposcopy procedure makes it possible early diagnosis dangerous diseases cervix, along with the PAP test, classical cytology and PCR diagnostics. These methods allow early identification of precancerous pathologies and cancer.

The greatest danger to the epithelium of the cervix is ​​represented by viruses: HPV and herpes. But when isolated, they do no harm. Against the background of bacterial genital infections (chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, vaginosis), erosion is formed, and then ectopia is the site of transformation epithelial tissue... Against the background of such processes, the addition of HPV and herpes leads to the development of cervical dysplasia - precancerous condition... This pathology should first of all be excluded during the colposcopy procedure.

The background conditions that make the cervix susceptible to diseases include ectopia, erosion, polyps, condylomas, cervicitis, ectropion. For precancerous - dysplasia, erythroplakia, leukoplakia.

The colposcopy procedure consists of examining the cervix under multiple magnification: 6-40 times. The gynecologist uses two methods to assess the condition of the surface of the cervix:

• simple;
• extended colposcopy.

The beginning of the examination is accompanied by a simple procedure: low and medium magnification. If the doctor notes the slightest deviations from the norm, he makes an extended version using special tests. The expert indicates the assessment of the results in the decoding.

Upon detection pathological changes in the tissues of the cervix during the colposcopy procedure, a biopsy is done with a histological examination of the material. After that, a choice of treatment tactics is carried out.

Indications and timing

The basis for doing the colposcopy procedure is the following conditions and conditions:

• identification of borderline nuclear abnormalities in the cytogram (atypical cellular elements of squamous epithelium) along with a positive HPV test;
• dyskaryosis in the cytogram (a change in the structure of the nucleus of a squamous epithelial cell in the form of a disproportionate increase in the nucleus in relation to the cytoplasm);
• any suspicious changes in cell structures in cytology;
• pathology of the glands of the cervical canal;
• a positive test for HPV in women who have previously done the procedure for conization of the cervix for dysplasia;
• bloody discharge from the genital tract, especially in women over 40 years old;
• external changes in the surface of the cervix (suspected warts, polyps, endometriosis), the presence of leukoplakia foci, which makes the colposcopy procedure mandatory;
• inflammatory nature of the cytogram.

Before doing a colposcopy, a woman's history is carefully collected. Find out the date of the last menstruation, the nature of menstruation, regularity, the presence of intermenstrual bleeding, the method of contraception, the number of pregnancies and childbirth, the nature of the courses of treatment and procedures taken.

The optimal time to do the colposcopy procedure it is considered 9-13 days of the cycle due to the transparency and the lowest viscosity of cervical mucus in the pre-ovulatory period. If necessary, the manipulation is carried out immediately after the end of menstruation. If the doctor suspects cancer, colposcopy is done any day.

After the treatment of the disease detected during diagnostic manipulations, a second colposcopy should be done after 3 months. As a rule, such a period of time is sufficient to assess the dynamics of the state of the organ and the effectiveness of the therapy. If microscopic examination the cervix did not reveal pathology and did not entail treatment, examination, including cytology, is carried out after 6-12 months, and colposcopy is done when abnormalities are detected.

To do a colposcopy, you should prepare for the procedure:

• as directed by the doctor, stop the administration of suppositories and do not douche a few days before the procedure;
• three days before colposcopy, exclude an intimate relationship;
• on the eve of the study, refuse the introduction of tampons.

Hygiene of the external genital organs before the procedure should be done as usual without washing the vagina and using rough detergents that violate the pH of the mucous membranes.

Procedure progress

The manipulation algorithm depends on the equipment of the gynecological office. Modern colposcopes are equipped with visual display devices. The picture is displayed on the monitor and stored in the computer's memory, printed as a photograph and recorded on the medium. This allows you to perform a diagnostic procedure with maximum benefit in the aspect of the treatment. Thus, the dynamics are monitored throughout the entire history of the disease.

Colposcopy procedure is absolutely painless, the absence of pain receptors on the surface of the cervix makes the manipulation almost imperceptible. In addition, there is no need to do any invasive interventions with microscopy of the cervix. The doctor only conducts chemical tests.

Colposcopy technique includes several successive stages.

1. The patient is preliminarily examined on a chair and the uterus with appendages is palpated. The size and consistency of the cervix are assessed, recorded in the protocol of the procedure. The doctor explains to the woman the course of the colposcopy and makes an antiseptic of the external genital organs.
2. A vaginal speculum is inserted, and the device is installed opposite the entrance to the vagina at a distance of several centimeters. The backlight comes on to inspect.
3. Before starting the colposcopy procedure, a cytology test can be done, if necessary. But in the case of an already identified pathology, additional tests are not done so as not to violate the integrity of the neck and not to distort the result.
4. The neck is processed by physical. solution to remove secretions.
5. In order for the doctor to draw initial conclusions and assess the need for chemical tests, the cervix is ​​examined under low magnification. If the slightest changes are detected during the procedure, they make the maximum increase and set the samples. At this stage, the specialist draws conclusions about the presence of leukoplakia, nabotovye cysts, polyps, foci of endometriosis.
6. A green filter is included in order to assess the vascular pattern.
7. The cervix is ​​treated with an acetic acid solution, which makes it pale. If the organ is healthy, then the mucous membrane will turn slightly pale and will soon regain its pale pink color. With a persistent and pronounced blanching, the gynecologist concludes that there is a pathology, making a note in the conclusion about the detection of aceto-white epithelium during colposcopy.
8. A test with vinegar should be done to assess the presence of puncture and mosaic - vascular anomalies that are recorded in various pathologies. Puncture and mosaic can be delicate or rough. Gentle implies the identification of minor vascular changes during the procedure, rough - severe violations, for example, cobblestone vessels.
9. The doctor makes an assessment of the reaction of the vessels to vinegar: atypical vessels do not spasm under the influence of vinegar. This is common in severe dysplasia or cancer. At the time of the procedure, the vessels are fixed in the form of a comma, a corkscrew, twisted - their atypical nature.
10. After a test for the presence of an aceto-white epithelium, a Schiller reaction is done. The cervical uterus is treated with iodine. Healthy tissues of the cervix will be stained in dark brown... All areas that remained unpainted are examined in detail by the doctor under maximum increase... It is necessary to make such a test to identify foci uncovered by squamous epithelium. Only this type of tissue, due to the content of glycogen, is capable of staining. The cylindrical epithelium, which normally lines the cervical canal, remains unstained. Its presence on the surface of the vaginal part of the cervix gives the doctor the right to conclude about a possible pathology.
11. Assessment of the transformation zone is the final stage of the colposcopy procedure. Transition zone- this is conventional line, delimiting the columnar epithelium of the endocervix and squamous epithelium vaginal portion of the cervix. This part of the body is the most vulnerable in terms of development. various pathologies in particular dysplasia and cancer. Normally, girls have it on the surface of the cervix: the doctor draws such conclusions if there is a circle unpainted with iodine in the area of ​​the external pharynx. In this case, the vessels and glands of the neck are normal. Also, the atypical location of the transformation zone is typical for pregnant women and women taking contraceptives. If such a zone is not defined, then, most likely, the patient is already in the premenopausal period. In an adult healthy woman the transitional area is barely visible at the entrance to the endocervix. In this case, the other parameters of colposcopy are normal.
12. When pathology is detected, the doctor makes a targeted biopsy of the affected area. The biopsy procedure is accompanied by minor discomfort and the presence of scarce bloody discharge during the day, alternating with blood discharge.

Conclusions that the patient is healthy can be done if the cervix has a pale pink color, a smooth and shiny surface, there are no vascular changes, there is a uniform dark brown color when irrigated with iodine during the procedure and a slight blanching of the entire surface when smeared with vinegar solution.

The duration of the colposcopy procedure is 10-20 minutes, after which the patient is released, having previously announced the results. The gynecologist draws conclusions after performing the tests, decides on the need for conization. Sometimes conization is both curative and diagnostic procedure, allowing to remove the tissues affected by dysplastic changes, and in parallel to conduct their histological examination. This is most often done with negative results of colposcopy.

Evaluation of results

The gynecologist can draw preliminary conclusions about the state of the cervical uterus based on the results of colposcopy. The final decision is made after a combined approach to diagnosis. The conclusions of the microscopic result, histological and cytological, are evaluated.

Aceto-white epithelium indicates the presence of pathologies such as infectious inflammation(cervicitis, endocervicitis), dysplasia, erythroplakia, leukoplakia, flat warts, cancer.

Iodine-negative zones - areas that have not undergone staining indicate the presence of columnar epithelium on the surface, metaplasia or transformation zones. You can evaluate the result in a complex.

• If there is pseudo-erosion in combination with positive tests on STIs, then this symptom is assessed as a disease, while pathological discharge, delicate puncture and mosaic, minor foci with aceto-white epithelium, unstained line is indistinct.
• With a clear, unstained outer border, the absence of infections and other alarming indicators of colposcopy, a conclusion is made about congenital ectopia or this symptom is regarded as an individual norm, subject to observation over time.
• In pregnant women, girls and patients taking OC, such a sign may indicate the presence of metaplasia - a site of replacement of the columnar epithelium with a flat one. At the same time, there is a delicate mosaic and a small amount of aceto-white epithelium. The final conclusions are made after the biopsy.
• Large iodine-negative areas with rough puncture and mosaic, atypical vessels, white-colored epithelium may indicate dysplasia and cancer, erythroplakia, climacteric atrophy.

Diseases such as endometriosis, polyps of the cervical canal do not have any reaction when irrigated with a solution of vinegar or iodine.

The colposcopy procedure is considered absolutely in a safe way diagnostics of diseases reproductive system women and can be used during pregnancy.

Colposcopy from English translates as an examination of the vagina. This procedure represents diagnostic examination, through which the examination of the vaginal cavity and cervix is ​​carried out using a special instrument - a colposcope. The indications for this study are the gynecologist's suspicions of the development of deviations and pathologies. To make sure that there is a pathology or to refute suspicions, a woman needs to undergo a colposcopy procedure. The research procedure is absolutely safe and painless, as women are convinced of after passing the research. In the material, we will consider what a study is, when it is better to do a colposcopy on what day of the cycle, as well as the presence of restrictions.

Features of the method

It should be noted that the accuracy of the research results is influenced not only by the experience of the doctor who conducts the study, but also by the correct preparation of the patient for the process. Colposcopy is done using a special device that resembles a microscope. In fact, this device is a microscope, only additionally equipped with an illumination system and a modified design. A woman needs to sit on a gynecological chair, after which the doctor expands the vaginal cavity using ordinary mirrors. After that, the device turns on, which illuminates the vaginal cavity and allows a visual examination. Depending on the cavity being examined, the doctor changes the eyepieces, which allows the image quality to be focused.

If, when examining the walls of the vagina or cervix, areas of the epithelium are found that differ from normal, then the doctor additionally uses an iodine solution. With the help of iodine, suspicious areas of the epithelium are processed, and if the cells of the cover change their color, then this indicates the absence of pathology. If cells or sections of the epithelium are stained in White color, then this indicates the presence cancers... If a pathology is detected, appropriate treatment measures must be taken.

When is the best time for colposcopy

The need to undergo a colposcopy study for women arises not only when the gynecologist has suspicions of deviations. Every woman should know that a colposcopic examination is required, if not regularly, then, according to at least, periodically. This is done for the purpose of a preventive study, through which it is possible to verify the presence or absence of pathologies in women.

Accurate results require the procedure to be performed at a specific time in the woman's menstrual cycle. Examination of the epithelium in the vaginal cavity and uterus requires special precision and care. Such accuracy can be obtained only when conducting a study in a certain cycle of menstruation, about which the doctor must warn the patient in advance.

Colposcopy of the vulvar neck should be performed directly in the first half of the menstrual cycle. Doctors who conduct the study advise their patients that optimal time for colposcopy is on the third day after the end of menstruation. This period is a reference, since it is on the third day of menstruation that a study can be carried out with maximum accuracy and reliable results can be obtained.

Colposcopy is strictly prohibited during menstruation, because this period is characterized by profuse bleeding and the secretion of slime off. Menstruation interferes with the doctor's research, so you need to postpone the procedure to another time. With insufficient visibility of the walls of the vagina and cervix, the doctor may provoke the appearance pain with colposcopic examination.

When can you still conduct a survey

We found out when it is better to do a colposcopy and on what day of the cycle. The third day after menstruation is the reference, but it is not always possible to get to the doctor on this very day. You can do an examination of the cervix after ovulation. During ovulation, the cervical canal is filled with a significant amount of mucus, which interferes with the examination.

To obtain good and accurate results, a woman is advised to conduct a study in the first half of the cycle. It is not recommended to carry out colposcopy in the second half of the cycle, which is due to the development of complications. Studies after ovulation can cause the development of pain, since the vaginal cavity after ovulation heals for a long time. If you carry out a physical effect in the form of a colposcopic examination in the second half of the cycle, this can lead to the development of pain and complications.

Restrictions

It is important to understand that the accuracy of obtaining research results depends on the menstrual cycle. Colposcopy can be performed on the last day of your period, but mucous discharge along with blood will not allow you to get a more accurate picture.

There are two contraindications for which colposcopy is not recommended and it is better for a woman to refuse:

1. Period of menstruation with abundant menstrual bleeding... Research for menstrual bleeding is not done at all, since any manipulations will lead to an increase in the healing time of the mucous membrane.
2. Stage of ovulation. During ovulation, when the egg enters the uterus, a large volume of mucus is produced. This mucus, like the discharge during menstruation, distorts the results of the study, so there is no need to talk about their accuracy at all.

Having figured out the question of which day of the menstrual cycle can be used for colposcopy, attention should be paid to the preparatory process.

Consequences of colposcopy

To clarify when it is better to carry out colposcopy, you can ask the doctor who writes out a referral for the examination. When conducting simple research, no consequences can arise. When conducting an extensive colposcopy, a woman can retain the consequences, which appear in the form of a dark-colored discharge. Such discharge is a provoked reaction through the use of various medicinal reagents, among which iodine is.

At the end of the study, a woman can observe for 2-3 days a blood discharge from the vagina, reminiscent of menstruation. This discharge is also a normal factor that goes away quickly.

During pregnancy, the effects of colposcopy and biopsy may lead to miscarriage or premature birth... During pregnancy, colposcopy can be prescribed for early dates or after the birth of a child. After the examination procedure, it is recommended to avoid sexual intercourse for 2 weeks, and also not to use tampons and douching, which can contribute to the development of complications.