10 Things Every Woman Needs to Know About Her Cervix, According To A Gynaecologist

ow much do Indian woman actually know about their body and the reproductive system? Chances are, barring the uber educated, metro city-dwelling women in this country, women have a brief understanding of their own anatomy. With the cultural and societal focus being childbirth, women tend to push everything else about their reproductive health to the back burner.

1. The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus, an organ of the female reproductive tract

Cervix is part of a female’s reproductive system. It is the mouth or the opening of the uterus and it is located inside the vagina. The uterus is a hollow muscular organ located in the female pelvis between the bladder and rectum. The cervix is usually 2 to 3 cm long (~1 inch) and roughly cylindrical in shape, which changes during pregnancy.

2. The cervix performs two vital functions

The cervix secrets normal lubricating fluids which help in holding the pregnancy, and forms a mucus plug to prevent infections during pregnancy. It maintains sterility of the upper female reproductive tract. The cervix, and all structures superior to it, are sterile. This ultimately protects the uterine cavity and the upper genital tract by preventing bacterial invasion.

3. Doctors recommend a pap smear to be done every 3 years

Pap smear is the test done on cervical cells to find out about the chances of cervical cancer. It helps in identifying cancerous and precancerous stages. Though it is not a confirmatory test but a good and effective screening test. It is recommended that a pap smear be done every 3 years unless advised otherwise.

4. HPV infection can cause cervical cancer

HPV stands for Human Papilloma Virus infection and it is one of the most important factors for cancer of the cervix. There is a strong cause and effect relationship between the virus and cervical cancer. Some strains of the virus are responsible for causing cancer of the cervix, the vaccine against this is based on this fact. The vaccine acts against the most common strains of this virus and provides immunity against cervical cancer.

5. Keeping a tab on cervicitis, cervical incompetence, and cervical polyps and cysts is vital

1. Cervicitis is an infection of the cervix, it may give rise to white discharge, itching, lower tummy pain and more. 2. Cervical incompetence happens during pregnancy where the cervix becomes short, soft and opens early in pregnancy, leading to abortions or preterm delivery.  In such cases, Cervical Cerclage operation is very beneficial.