Colposcopy When Pregnant?

T.,
I also want to say that you probably do not have cancer.
For advice on a colposcopy, I highly recommend Women's Health Consultants at RUSH Hospital downtown. You can't go wrong with them.
Good luck.
Amy

Hello :) I had one when i was about 5 or 6 months pregnant and it didnt affect anything at all. The procedure went pretty quickly and smoothly.

I have never had one when pregnant but I have had a few, after abnormal paps and a diagnosis of pre-cancerous dysplasia. The first thing I thought after reading your post was that I have never had a colposcopy after only one abnormal, because it is indeed the case that abnormal tissue can clear up on its own. Instead of having one now, it's better to schedule a follow up pap in the next few months to see if it's still abnormal. And I agree that abnormal cells rarely turn into cancer (I am a breast cancer survivor and have been dealing with recurrent abnormal paps and dysplasia for years, the worst I have had to face is a LEEP procedure, where they shave off the abnormal cells -- no big deal). Good luck with it all, I'm sure it will be OK.

I was in the same situation but my Dr. just gave me a look under the microscope...they wanted to wait 'til after I deliver for the actual procedure...from what I was told, they said it may clear up on it's own or "shed" during delivery. Maybe you should get a second opinion. This has just been my experience. GOOD LUCK! =)

I am 31 years old and the mom of a 5 week old girl after being diagnosed at 30 with cervical cancer. I had just gotten married and had not had any children yet. I had an abmormal pap that was followed up with a colposcopy which lead to my diagnosis. I then had a cone biopsy to remove the cancerous tissue, because I wanted to preserver fertility ( the most common treatment for cervical cancer is a hysterectomy). My oncologist encouraged me to become pregnant as soon as possible because eventually I would have to have a hysterectomy.

Throughout my pregnancy I had several colposcopies to monitor the situation. My oncologist reassured me that the procerdure would not put any additional risk to the pregnancy or my baby. The rational for doing it was that if they did find a recurrance of cancer they would allow me to continue the pregancy, but would induce labor once it was felt that the baby was developed enough. Thankfully, no recurrence was detected and I was able to have my baby full term.

I was treated at Loyola Medical Center and couldn't have been happier with them. My regular OB/GYN Amy Stoeffler did my first colposcopy (prior to pregnancy) and all follow up treatment was by Dr. Ronald Potkul an oncologist specializing in gynacological cancers.

I hope this helps. I certainly want to stress however, that an abnormal pap certainly does not mean cancer. It is only the vary rare cases when an abnormal pap actually ends up being cancer.

Hi T.,

i feel for you as I have been going through this whole abnormal pap thing for the last year and a half. I have a healthy 4 month old girl now but got a colposcopy when I was pregnant. I would be happy to share my doctors name and my experience with you if you want to talk. I can be reached at ____@____.com Any questions I would be happy to answer. Ultimately i would follow your doctor's suggestion, but if they are really concerned they shouldn't have to make you wait, I had mine done a week after the abnormal pap.