A Pap smear is routinely used to screen women for cervical cancer or abnormal cervical cells which may develop into cancer, called cervical dysplasia. A woman with an abnormal Pap smear usually undergoes additional testing, such as a cervical...
The cervix is the structure at the upper end of the vagina that dilates to allow a baby to enter the birth canal. Dr. William Rich of the University of California states there are two types of cervical cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lining of the...
A cone biopsy is a surgical procedure in which a cone-shaped sample of the cervix is removed for analysis. It's usually performed to diagnose or rule out cervical cancer, particularly when a Pap test has revealed abnormal cells, but may also be...
Gynecologists (GYNs) perform many tests to diagnose problems within the female reproductive system; some are done yearly, others are done only if needed. Many diseases can be diagnosed by tests done in the gynecologist's office; most tests involve...
A pap smear is a medical test used to examine the skin cells of a woman's cervix-the opening into the uterus-for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer affects 11,000 women per year, according to the National Cancer Institute. The pap test is...
An abnormal Pap smear can be a sign that you have abnormal cells on your cervix that may be precancerous. To remove these cells, a LEEP may be performed. This is a minor surgical procedure that can be done in your doctor's office, with minor...
The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus. It protrudes into the upper end of the vagina and its opening connects the uterus to the vagina. The cervix is lined with a mucous membrane, but, unlike the vagina's membrane, the cervical mucous...
Cervical cancer is cancer that grows in the cells of the cervix, located at the lower end of the uterus. It may also be called the uterine cervix. This cancer is typically slow-growing, and Pap smears can help detect precancerous changes in these...
If you're trying to absorb a diagnosis of high-grade cervical dysplasia, undoubtedly you have many questions and concerns. You've already taken a first, and important, step by visiting your doctor. The next steps are to educate yourself, continue...
Cervical dysplasia is a condition where the cells of the cervix grow abnormally. It is a precancerous condition with three stages: CIN I---mild dysplasia where only the lower third of the cells are abnormal, CIN II---moderate, where up to two...
The cervix, which is located at the junction of the vagina and the uterus, is prone to developing cells with genetic mutations that cause them to grow abnormally quickly. Low-grade cervical cancer is dangerous because of its ability to develop...
Cimicifuga racemosa, commonly known as black cohosh is a perennial plant used traditionally for difficulties related to menstruation. Black cohosh extract is a popular alternative that is purported to be a viable replacement therapy for hormones...
Pap smears are a common screening test that can be used to detect changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. One of the main causes of cervical cancer is an infection with the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. As a result, many...
Post-menopausal bleeding is defined as any vaginal bleeding that occurs once a woman's menstrual cycle has completely stopped for at least one full year. Most bleeding that occurs after menopause is harmless but there are a several conditions...
Just as the female parts of a flower contain a stigma which receives pollen, human female reproductive parts have at their center a cervix, which is the bulbous opening to the uterus. Cervical tissue is delicate and made up of thin layers that...
The cervix is at the lower, narrow end of the uterus. It leads from the uterus to the vagina. Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly over a period of time. Prior to the cervical cells becoming cancerous, they go through changes known as...
The National Institute of Health reports that human papillomavirus, or HPV causes most cases of cervical cancer and dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia refers to a condition characterized by an abnormal growth of cells on the cervix, indicating the...
Cervical cancer treatment depends upon the stage of cancer development. Cancerous cells are assessed first by a pap smear, followed by a biopsy of the cervical tissue. Disease staging ranges from zero to four. Stage 0 is the precancerous stage...
Cervical cancer affects the opening to the uterus. This reproductive cancer affects nearly 10,000 women each year and more than 3,000 of those women die from the disease annually. This makes recognizing cervical cancer symptoms as early as...
According to The National Cancer Institute, the vast majority of cervical cancers can be prevented. Since the most common form of cervical cancer starts with preventable and easily detectable pre-cancerous changes, there are two ways to prevent...
In 2001, the Bethesda System was developed and is now widely used for classification of pap smears, according to the American Social Health Association. This system groups types of abnormal paps together and makes it easier for clinicians to know...
Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of cancer death in women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It has decreased over the past 40 years, primarily because of the prevalence of cervical cell testing, known as the...
HPV (human papillomavirus) is a group of viruses that can be spread through sexual contact. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 50 percent of sexually active individuals get HPV during their lifetime, but the...
Cervical cancer is the eighth most common cancer in women in the United States. Most cases of cervical cancer, 80 to 90 percent according to the Mayo Clinic, affect the squamous cells that line the surface of the cervix. When the cancer is at an...
Precancerous cervical lesions, also called cervical dysplasia, are abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix. Cervical dysplasia is classified as low or high grade. Low grade cervical dysplasia grows slowly and may resolve without treatment, the...
The cervix is the opening of the uterus and is located in the upper end of the vagina. Cervical dysplasia is a medical condition that occurs when the cells of the cervix change. This abnormal change typically stems from an infection to the cervix....
Pap smears are often performed as part of a routine gynecological examination. This screening test allows gynecologists to detect abnormal cells that can be indicative of cervical cancer or cervical dysplasia, which is a precancerous condition....
When a woman goes into labor, she starts having uterine contractions, the amniotic sac ruptures and birth is imminent. Since normal human gestation lasts between 37 to 42 weeks, the start of labor before the 37th week of pregnancy is considered to...
Iodine is a trace mineral, required in small yet vital concentrations in the body. Iodide is the ion, or charged form of iodine. The highest food sources of iodine are listed by the World's Healthiest Foods website as sea vegetables, yogurt, cow's...