How to check for cervical erosion?

Written by Sun Shan Shan
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on December 26, 2024
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Firstly, women who are sexually active and have cervical erosion need to visit a hospital for further examinations such as colposcopy to check for erosion. Cervical erosion is a physiological manifestation, caused by the external migration of columnar epithelium from the cervical canal due to hormonal levels, presenting as an erosion-like appearance. Thus, this condition is also a physiological response.

Once sexually active, women who have been sexually active for over two years need to regularly undergo cervical cytology testing using the human papillomavirus (HPV) and liquid-based cytology to see if there are other potential issues. If there are no problems, cervical erosion can be periodically monitored, and it's advised to avoid cold exposure, fatigue, spicy and irritating foods, and maintain cleanliness of the external genital area.

Other Voices

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Written by Shen Li Wen
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Is cervicitis the same as cervical erosion?

Cervical inflammation is not cervical erosion. Firstly, cervical erosion is merely a physiological phenomenon, where elevated estrogen levels in a woman's body cause the downward and outward movement of the columnar epithelium of the cervix. This condition is mainly seen in women of childbearing age. For instance, postmenopausal women generally have lower levels of estrogen, making cervical erosion less common. For example, during pregnancy, elevated estrogen levels can increase the area of cervical erosion. After childbirth, as estrogen levels gradually return to normal, the area of cervical erosion might reduce and might even become invisible. However, cervical inflammation is caused by pathogenic microorganisms. For example, a common scenario is vaginal inflammation spreading to the columnar epithelium of the cervix in some women. Additionally, some women experience sexually transmitted diseases, like the common infection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, which causes inflammation of the columnar epithelium. Therefore, there is a fundamental difference between cervical inflammation and cervical erosion; cervical inflammation is a pathological change, while cervical erosion is a physiological change.

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Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Cervical erosion

Cervical erosion occurs when the epithelium inside the cervical canal grows outward to the external orifice of the cervix and the cervical part of the vagina, replacing the original epithelium of the external orifice and vaginal portion. The outward-growing epithelium from the cervical canal appears bright red, which visually resembles erosion, hence it is called cervical erosion. As the migration of the endometrium from the cervical canal is a physiological phenomenon, with increasing age, the migrated endometrium gradually retracts back into the cervical canal. Therefore, upon detecting cervical erosion, it generally only requires cytological screening and does not need treatment.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How is cervical erosion treated?

Cervical erosion is not considered a disease, so there is no need for any treatment for cervical erosion, including the use of anti-inflammatory drugs or various physical therapies such as laser, microwave, LEEP, etc. Simple cervical erosion is just a physiological condition, and routine cervical precancerous lesion screening is necessary. If there are no precancerous cervical lesions, and if the usual secretions are normal without abnormal odor or itching, then no treatment is needed if there is no infection.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Can you swim with cervical erosion?

Cervical erosion can swim because simple cervical erosion is not a disease itself, it does not need to be concerned about, and does not need attention. Since it is not a disease, there are no prohibitions, including no dietary restrictions; you can eat anything and engage in activities like swimming or other aspects of life, such as sexual activity, etc. Because cervical erosion is not a disease, there's no need to worry about it; don't be anxious about whether you have cervical erosion. Routine check-ups for pre-cancerous cervical lesions and checking for any abnormal vaginal discharge are sufficient.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
34sec home-news-image

Does cervical erosion affect pregnancy?

Cervical erosion does not affect pregnancy because cervical erosion itself is not a disease. It is a physiological state where the columnar epithelium is everted due to the high levels of estrogen common in young people, appearing as a bright red state of cervical erosion. However, it is not a disease, but rather an issue with endocrine function, which is normal and a sign of youth. Therefore, cervical erosion does not affect pregnancy, and one should not panic and undergo unnecessary physical treatments.