A little bit of anatomy: between the body of the uterus and the vagina is the cervical canal, which connects these two organs. The inside of the cervix is lined with cylindrical epithelium, the cells of which are arranged in a single layer. The outer part of the cervix is covered with a multilayered squamous epithelium.
Cervical erosion is a defect of the mucous membrane. True erosion is a bright red spot that appears on the pale pink surface of the cervical mucosa. It occurs due to a defect in the integumentary tissue, in which epithelial cells are rejected. In this case, blood vessels are damaged, and a woman may complain of spotting after sexual intercourse.
True erosion is rare. Hormonal disorders contribute to its appearance – low levels of female sex hormones, mechanical effects (for example, rough sexual intercourse), and some infectious diseases.
Most often, when a woman is diagnosed with cervical erosion at a gynecologist's appointment, this refers to cervical pseudoerosion or cervical ectopia. In pseudoerosion, the usual normal squamous epithelium of the outer part of the cervix is replaced by a cylindrical epithelium from the cervical canal. Note that there is no epithelial defect in cervical ectopia.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, cervical pseudoerosion or cervical ectopia refers to the normal condition of the cervix and does not develop into cancer. Treatment of cervical erosion is not required.
To date, to assess the condition of the cervix worldwide, women over the age of 25 are recommended to conduct an annual cytological examination - cervical scraping (PAP test). This is the only study in the world that helps prevent the appearance of cervical cancer.
Cytology scraping in practice.
This examination can be performed on any day of the menstrual cycle except for the period of menstruation itself; it is performed by a gynecologist immediately after installing a gynecological mirror by touching a special brush with the cervix. The procedure is absolutely painless.
The material taken for cytology is sent to a specialized laboratory. EMC gynecologists have the opportunity to perform this study in two ways - a classic test (using a slide) and in a liquid medium. The second method allows you to perform a test for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) using a molecular biological method.
The result of the smear may be within the normal range (recall that ectopia of the cervix also applies to the normal condition), in this case it will need to be repeated in a year, or changes will need to be identified. To date, preference is given to the Bethesda International classification of cervical pathology.
EMC gynecologists invite women over the age of 25 to undergo an annual gynecological examination, which includes mandatory cytology scraping, and remind them that the lack of a cytology smear test is the main cause of cervical cancer.
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