Colposcopy while pregnant

nferrante

Ladies...I have a question.  I'm kind of just a lurker and at the moment...not sure if I'm pregnant.  But no one seems to know the answer to my question. I figured I would ask you pregnant ladies.  If I AM pregnant...testing tomorrow...is it safe to have a colposcopy?  I have to have one done the 18th.  I'm nervous because I already have a weak cervix...and with a loss this past December....I don't want to take any risks!  Anyone have any thoughts/suggestions? Thank you!

ibis

They will give you a pregnancy test before your colpo, and if I recall correctly, they won't go ahead with the colpo if you get a + result. It's been a few yrs but I think that's how it went when I had mine.

HisKathy

If your doctor doesn't ask if you might be pregnant or test you, definitely say something.  The doctor will know if it's safe or not (and it sounds like it's not)

julia&jared

I would either take a pregnancy test now, or if its too early to tell I would call into your doctor and tell him/her tomorrow and ask them what to do. I think its ok later in pregnancy but im not sure about it early in pregnancy. Be sure to mention your concerns about your cervix to your doctor when you call in.GL

I_am_DCA

Colposcopy is just looking at your cervix with something similar to a microscope.  Just tell them about the possibility of pregnancy before the colpo.  The current recommendations are to do colpo's every trimester in pregnancy to rule out invasive cancer.  If a lesion is on the cervix that appears to be cancer (not just precancerous lesion) then a biopsy is warranted.  Biopsies in pregnancy are limited just because the cervix bleeds a whole lot as compared to nonpregnant women.

So long story short colposcopy is completely safe in pregnancy and biopsy is warranted if cancer is suspected. The only thing they will not do at the time of colpo on a pregnant patient is an ECC (endocervical curettage).   

Good luck!

mmkerr

I_am_DCA:

Colposcopy is just looking at your cervix with something similar to a microscope.  Just tell them about the possibility of pregnancy before the colpo.  The current recommendations are to do colpo's every trimester in pregnancy to rule out invasive cancer.  If a lesion is on the cervix that appears to be cancer (not just precancerous lesion) then a biopsy is warranted.  Biopsies in pregnancy are limited just because the cervix bleeds a whole lot as compared to nonpregnant women.

So long story short colposcopy is completely safe in pregnancy and biopsy is warranted if cancer is suspected. The only thing they will not do at the time of colpo on a pregnant patient is an ECC (endocervical curettage).   

Good luck!

this. i had a colpo done with my first pregnancy because my pap smear came back abnormal. but i am a little biased on this, i'm sure it was purely coincidental, but i never stopped spotting from my colpo and it eventually led to my miscarriage. with this pregnancy, i was so worried about this. everything had come back fine that last time, but i knew if i were to need another one this pregnancy, i would have denied it.

good luck with everything!