Can you swim with cervical erosion?

Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Cervical erosion is permissible for swimming because cervical erosion itself is not considered a disease; it is merely a physiological condition, a normal physiological phenomenon in young women. Cervical erosion is due to high estrogen levels in young people, leading to the proliferation and externalization of columnar epithelium, which is a normal state. It does not affect daily life, including swimming. As long as the water quality in the swimming pool meets health standards and does not lead to infections, normal daily activities can be carried out. Therefore, there is no need to be overly concerned about cervical erosion detected during a physical examination.

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Written by Li Lin
Obstetrics and Gynecology
1min 5sec home-news-image

Is cervicitis the same as cervical erosion?

Cervicitis is a common inflammation of the female lower genital tract. It is often caused by pathogenic infections of the cervix, leading to cervicitis lesions, most commonly presenting symptoms such as purulent vaginal discharge, vulvar itching, bleeding after intercourse, and visible cervical bleeding and edema during gynecological examinations. This condition requires antibiotic treatment. Cervical erosion, strictly speaking, is not a disease. Cervical erosion occurs when glandular epithelial cells from inside the cervical canal grow outward onto the external part of the cervix. Since glandular epithelial cells are thin, they appear bright red, resembling erosion, thus colloquially termed cervical erosion. These externalized glandular epithelial cells are susceptible to viral or bacterial invasion, causing cervical lesions, thus medicinal treatment is also often recommended.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Causes of cervical erosion

Cervical erosion is considered a physiological phenomenon, not a disease. It is part of the normal anatomical structure of females, characterized by a more apparent red appearance of the columnar epithelium on the cervix. This is due to the relatively high levels of estrogen in young women, which causes the columnar epithelium to evert from the cervical canal, resulting in a vigorous growth of the epithelium, and thus the red, erosion-like appearance. This is normal, and as age increases, the columnar epithelium gradually moves inward and is covered by squamous epithelium, resulting in a smooth appearance of the cervix.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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Cervical erosion grade one

Cervical erosion of the first degree simply means that the area of cervical erosion is not very large. Cervical erosion of the second degree is also a physiological phenomenon and doesn’t need to be overly concerned about. As long as the screening results for precancerous cervical lesions are normal, and there is no contact bleeding or infection in the discharge, it's not a problem. Simple cervical erosion is just a physiological phenomenon, as young women naturally have higher levels of estrogen, and their columnar epithelium is prone to eversion. It is a physiological state and should not be treated as a disease.

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Written by Sun Shan Shan
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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How to check for cervical erosion?

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.

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Written by Wang Jing Hua
Obstetrics and Gynecology
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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.