Is a cervical smear the same as a biopsy?

When women reach middle age or have a certain sexual life, they should always pay attention to the health of their uterus. Now that technology is becoming more and more advanced and medicine has made a lot of progress, women will choose to have regular check-ups. Both cervical smear and biopsy are methods of examination. But cervical biopsy is very similar to cervical smear, so many people get it wrong. So is a Pap smear the same as a biopsy?

What is a cervical biopsy?

A cervical biopsy is a biopsy of the cervix, which means taking a small piece or several pieces of tissue from the cervix for pathological examination to confirm the diagnosis.

How to do a cervical biopsy

Cervical biopsy refers to a live tissue examination of the cervix, which is to remove a small piece or several pieces of active tissue from the female cervix for pathological examination to determine the diagnosis and treatment method. It is generally used for suspected cervical cancer or suspicious cells in the cervical scraping, and cervical biopsy is the most reliable basis for diagnosing cervical cancer. Whether it is early or late stage cervical cancer, this examination must be performed to determine the pathological type and degree of cell differentiation of the cancer.

3. Cervical biopsy should pay attention to the following points

It is best not to do it one week before menstruation or during menstruation to prevent bleeding.

Before the operation, the leucorrhea should be checked in advance to confirm that there is no vaginitis before the biopsy can be performed.

The biopsy site may bleed, so avoid sexual intercourse, vaginal douching, or sitz baths for 1 to 2 weeks after the procedure. If vaginal bleeding is heavy, you should go to the hospital for examination and treatment.

If you have a colposcopy, you can take a biopsy under the colposcopy to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.

4. Indications for cervical biopsy

1. Increased leucorrhea with a fishy odor

Many women think they have vaginitis when they experience this symptom, but treatment is ineffective. Cervical cancer can also cause increased and foul-smelling vaginal discharge, which can be differentially diagnosed through cervical biopsy.

2. Irregular vaginal bleeding

There are many reasons for irregular vaginal bleeding, and cervical lesions cannot be excluded. Women who have this symptom for a long time should get checked as soon as possible to see if it is caused by cancer.

3. Postmenopausal vaginal bleeding

It is common in elderly women who have vaginal bleeding after menopause. This is a very dangerous signal and you must go to the hospital for examination if you experience this phenomenon.