Learn more. Dana Christine Baras, M. Most women have no cause for concern, says Baras, who addresses the top questions women have about fertility and pregnancy problems after a LEEP. If the cervical passageway is narrowed or closed, this can cause irregular or absent periods or prevent sperm from getting through the cervix into the uterus to fertilize an egg.
This depends on where the abnormal cells are located. Immediate recovery takes about two weeks. We recommend that women avoid sex or inserting anything into the vagina for four weeks. Full recovery of the cervix takes about six months. What happens during a LEEP? The doctor will take a look at your cervix using a special microscope called a colposcope.
A small amount of vinegar or iodine will be placed on your cervix to make any abnormalities more visible. Local freezing is then used to numb the cervix, which is normal. Some people feel a pinch or cramp when the freezing is done.
A thin wire loop is then used to remove abnormal tissue. The procedure usually lasts less than five minutes. To reduce any bleeding, a brown paste may be placed on the cervix.
The paste comes out later looking brown or black, which is normal. What happens after my LEEP? Most patients have no symptoms after a LEEP. You may experience cramps, light vaginal bleeding, or watery vaginal discharge for a few weeks.
Avoid using tampons, swimming, taking baths, or having sexual intercourse for three weeks. Also, avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for one week. Your doctor will review your results with you within three weeks of the procedure. Usually, a follow-up appointment will be recommended six months after your LEEP. There is a small possibility of heavy bleeding or an infection after a LEEP. Cryocautery involves freezing your cervix with a metal probe.
The probe is used from one to two minutes to complete the freeze. This procedure can also be used to treat mildly abnormal cells on the cervix. Cryocautery or freezing of the cancerous cells is performed under a procedure called cryotherapy. The treatment is applied much like LEEP as you lie down on the exam table, and the doctor inserts a speculum to open the walls of your vagina. A tool called a cryoprobe is used to hold your cervix for a few minutes gently, and it will freeze your cells quickly.
This procedure is typically repeated twice with a few minutes rest in-between applications. The whole process should last about five minutes. Human papillomavirus HPV is a virus that is spread through sexual contact.
This virus will invade your cells in your vagina and cervix and can be cleared in most women without any special treatment, as in many cases, the infected cells are shed from the vagina and cervix. In some cases, however, the virus does not clear and persists in some of the cells of the cervix. If HPV persists in the cervix, it can change in appearance when viewed under a microscope and can cause cervical cancer. There is an HPV vaccine that has been recently approved by the FDA that is able to prevent infection and is for women who have never been infected.
The vaccine has to be given before a person becomes sexually active. If these abnormal cells were detected through your Pap test, you would then most likely have been scheduled for a colposcopy and a biopsy of your cervix. If the biopsy then showed abnormal cells that suggested to your doctor there was cancer present or showed cervical cancer cells that were not invading deeper tissue of your cervix; the doctor would want to get rid of those cells.
The human papillomavirus HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection, with almost fourteen million new cases diagnosed each year in the U.
There are different forms of this infection, and some can cause genital warts, while others are responsible for cancers. While there is no cure for this virus, the symptoms resulting from it can be treated. Genital warts, one of the results of this infection can be treated with medication to remove the warts. A chemical, podophyllin, which your doctor can apply, will remove the warts in some cases. There is also Imiquimod, Podofilox, or Trichloroacetic acid, which your doctor may also try for removal.
If these chemicals do not work, some cases may require Cryotherapy, electrocautery, laser therapy, interferon injection, or LEEP to remove the warts. Other types of HPV can increase the risk of developing cancer, including cancer of the anus, penis, vulva, vagina, oropharynx, or cervix.
It may take years for these to develop. HPV is passed skin-to-skin through sexual intercourse or through other types of contact with the genitals. Because there is no cure for this infection, your best protection is prevention. To reduce the risk of contracting HPV, you should:.
Prevention and early detection are the keys to a successful outcome if you have developed any health-related issues with your female reproductive system. We can provide you with state-of-art health care for all your medical needs.
Speculum A speculum is a metal or plastic instrument used by gynecologists to separate the walls of the vagina and enable them to see the cervix and vagina Vagina The vagina is your stretchy passage that connects the cervix, vulva, and uterus. Cervix The cervix is the lower, narrow portion of the uterus which has a small opening to connect your uterus to your vagina Pap test Pap tests are performed to determine if there are abnormal cell changes in your cervix. Colposcopy A colposcopy is a test for cervical cancer.
Biopsy A biopsy is when your doctor removes a small sample of tissue to have it further tested in a lab to make a diagnosis of a condition Is the LEEP Painful?
What does precancerous mean? What is dysplasia? The procedure does use electricity, so there will be a grounding pad placed on your thigh. This pad will prevent you from getting shocked and protect you from getting hurt The doctor will begin by numbing your cervix with an injection of a numbing medication called lidocaine. There may be slight pressure and a mild burning as it is injected.
This medication has been known to cause a patient's heart to beat a little faster. When the LEEP equipment is turned on, it will make a noise that sounds much like a vacuum. Once the medication has numbed your cervix, the doctor will pass the thin wire loop through the surface of the cervix and remove any abnormal cells discovered during your Pap test.
There are times a second pass will be required to get all of the abnormal cells.
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