Cervical erosion

Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on September 04, 2024
00:00
00:00

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.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
38sec home-news-image

Does cervical erosion cause itching?

Simple cervical erosion does not cause itching symptoms. Since cervical erosion is not a disease, if itching occurs, there are other problems involved. For example, some people experience itching due to inflammation of the vulva and vagina, which requires routine checks for vaginal bacteriology, classification of inflammation, and selection of targeted medications for treatment; others might have itching due to allergies, such as allergies to underwear, sanitary pads, or even semen; and there are also cases involving issues like vulvar lichen sclerosus.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jia Rui
Obstetrics and Gynecology
42sec home-news-image

Is cervical erosion prone to pregnancy?

Cervical erosion, if not severe, generally does not affect pregnancy. However, if cervical erosion continues to worsen, leading to chronic inflammation of the uterus, it is likely to result in infertility. Timely treatment can be administered, and once disease symptoms are controlled, it is possible to become pregnant again. Treatment methods such as LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) with blue light can be used to effectively alleviate the symptoms of cervical erosion. Cleansing with traditional Chinese medicine can also have a certain therapeutic effect on alleviating cervical erosion.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Xiu Rong
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 32sec home-news-image

Moderate cervical erosion treatment duration

Patients with moderate cervical erosion can generally use topical medications for treatment. If treating with topical medications, it usually involves applying the medication for 7 to 10 days per month, continuing for three menstrual cycles before a follow-up examination. Alternatively, patients with moderate cervical erosion can opt for physical treatments such as laser therapy, electrocoagulation, or cryoablation. Typically, one or two sessions of such treatments can lead to improvement. After treatment using physical methods, the cervix usually returns to normal within two months. Furthermore, before patients with cervical erosion seek treatment at the hospital, they must first undergo cervical cancer screening to rule out cervical cancer and precancerous conditions. Only if cervical erosion is confirmed without accompanying cancerous or precancerous conditions, treatment with medication or laser can be considered. Cervical cancer screening typically involves a TCT (ThinPrep Cytologic Test) and HPV (Human Papillomavirus) virus testing. These tests help determine whether the cervical condition includes cancer or precancerous changes, and if it's only inflammation, then treatment with medication or laser is feasible.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
55sec home-news-image

How long after cervical erosion surgery should a follow-up be conducted?

Cervical erosion itself is not an indication for surgery, but if surgery has been performed for cervical erosion, a gynecological outpatient follow-up can be done after 2 to 3 months. It is required that within one month, one must be cautious not to take tub baths. If the follow-up examination shows that the surgical site is healing well but there are abnormalities in secretions, tub baths may be taken or vaginal suppositories used under the guidance of a doctor. For cervical erosion, it is advised not to engage in sexual intercourse for three months, as the recovery process takes a considerable amount of time. If it is simply cervical erosion without precancerous lesions of the cervix, then a routine gynecological outpatient follow-up is sufficient without the need for further cytological examination.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Jia Rui
Obstetrics and Gynecology
39sec home-news-image

Cervical erosion is graded into several degrees.

In clinical practice, cervical erosion is divided into three degrees. It is considered first degree when the area of cervical erosion is within one-third; it falls under the second degree if it exceeds one-third but is within two-thirds; and it is classified as third degree if the area of cervical erosion exceeds two-thirds. Preliminary judgments can be made based on the results of the examination. Regardless of the degree of cervical erosion, timely treatment is necessary. Generally, normal condition can be restored with systematic treatment based on the attending physician's advice.