Abnormal Cervical Screening Test Results

If you have received an abnormal cervical screening result, you may be referred to a gynaecologist for further assessment and testing.

This may involve the need for a colposcopy. A colposcopy is a minor procedure in which a special microscope is used to examine the surface of the cervix for abnormalities. During a colposcopy, a small amount of tissue might be removed and sent to a laboratory for testing.

A colposcopy takes between 10 and 30 minutes. It can feel awkward and uncomfortable, but it is not usually painful. There is no need for an anaesthetic for the colposcopy, but a local anaesthetic may be used if the biopsy is in a sensitive area. A/Prof Mahmoud can explain this at the time and you can always ask if you feel that you may need extra anaesthetic. 

If you have a colposcopy, you will be asked to lie on your back, as with a cervical screening test. Your legs might be raised and supported in stirrups.

A/Prof Mahmoud will insert a speculum, an instrument that opens the vagina. Then he will clean the surface of your cervix with a mild vinegar solution and might paint it with iodine, an antiseptic that turns healthy cells brown. He will then place the colposcope just outside the entrance to the vagina and look for any areas of the cervix that are abnormal. If a biopsy is needed, he will remove a small sample of tissue to send to the laboratory. This will likely feel like pressure or a slight pinch. It might take up to two weeks for the biopsy results to come back.