Is a colposcopy painful? Will it affect my ability to have children?
How is the colposcopy done? In doing a colposcopy , the doctor proceeds with the usual pelvic examination. With the speculum (the instrument used to separate the walls of the vagina to expose the cervix) inserted into the vagina, the doctor points the magnifying lens and a powerful light at the opening of the vagina and looks through an eyepiece. The cervix and/or vagina are swabbed with a special solution. The solution, along with a green lens placed on the colposcope, makes the abnormal area appear as whitish spots. Biopsies of these white spots or any abnormal areas are usually taken for examination. The sensation of a biopsy is similar to a mild menstrual cramp. A TV attachment on the side of the colposcope beams a picture to a nearby monitor. If he wishes, the doctor can make videotapes of the cells to study changes over a period of time. No part ofthe instrument is inserted into the vagina. When is a colposcopy done? Sometimes a colposcopy is done when you hav...