The clinician performing a colposcopy examination must undergo specialist training, be accredited every three years by the British Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology. They are also assessed by Public Health England’s Screening Quality Assurance Service separately.
A patient may be referred for a colposcopy examination for four separate reasons.
- An abnormal smear result detected as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme
- The appearance of the cervix, vagina or vulva requires more detailed examination
- There have been persistent symptoms of bleeding after sexual intercourse (post-coital bleeding)
- It has not been possible to obtain a satisfactory smear sample
A colposcope is a type of microscope used to examine the cervix (and sometimes the vagina and vulva) with a good light source and under high magnification. The colposcope itself is not inserted into the vagina. Instead, a plastic device known as a speculum is inserted in the vagina to expose the cervix for visual assessment with the colposcope. Specific solutions are then applied to the cervix, allowing stating of abnormal cells. As a result, a small “punch” biopsy may be taken of the area for pathology examination and a decision made whether this abnormality simply needs further smear or colposcopy follow up at a later date, whether treatment is required or whether you can be discharged back to the normal cervical screening interval. In some cases, treatment may be recommended at the first visit. The process is also similar for vaginal and vulval examination.
You may wish a private colposcopy for a second opinion about management, for privacy reasons or because you wish to see a specialist as soon as possible.
Online Reference
More information on HPV, cervical smears, and colposcopy can be found at the following external website:
- The national charity Jo’s Trust.
