cervical erosion

[StrangeButTrue]

hi, have just had a smear test today & the nurse told me that I have a slight cervical erosion.

Has anyone any experience of this? We are trying to conceive & i'm wondering how this will effect the pregnancy. Any advice much appreciated.

[StrangeButTrue]

thanks for that, herbietea, I had worries about it possibly causing miscarriage. good to hear you had healthy pregnancies!

[Sidge]

Were you on the pill before you started trying for a baby? That can often cause an erosion (also called an ectropion).

If it's a straightforward erosion then it should have no implications for conception or pregnancy; the erosion is usually where delicate cells from inside the cervix have moved down onto the outside. As they are such delicate cells, not designed to be exposed to trauma eg sex, tampons etc then they can be damaged and bleed more easily. The cervix can look a little "raw".

[Shitemum]

I had this for years and was too scared to do anything about it, i.e. find out what was wrong (idiot).
Once I did it was very easily fixed with vitamin E supplements. I took about 4 capsules a day for a few weeks.

[StrangeButTrue]

thanks sidge, I have been on the pill, but about 10 years ago. have had 3 children since, but bleeding on & off while pregnant.

I know I should have asked the nurse all these questions but didn't think at the time (just relieved to have the smear test over & done with & escape!). If tampons can damage the cervix, do you think a mooncup (which i use) would cause any further erosion?? I just want to be as healthy as possible before the next pregnancy.

[Sidge]

I don't think tampons cause significant damage to the cervix. Certainly less than sex!

I imagine a Mooncup would be less traumatic but I really wouldn't worry - many many women have erosions and it has no impact on pregnancy. It is only the superficial cells on the 'outside' of the cervix that are affected.

[Shitemum]

Try the vit E, believe me it made a huge difference in a very short time - and this was the treatment my gyno prescribed...

[Bucharest]

Oh, I didn't know about the vitamin E- I've had it forever seemingly- certainly since 1991, but I've had a baby since...I just almost always have to have smears repeated as they poke me and make it bleed and so the sample is corrupted and we have to start again...I'll try the vit E too.

[asteamedpoater]

Don't try vitamin E in large doses until you've checked with a doctor that this is safe in pregnancy. A cervical erosion isn't an eroded or damaged area at all - as Sidge said, it's just cells that normally grow inside the cervix growing out onto the outside surface of the cervix as a result of the influence of female sex hormones, hence the greater prevalence in women on the pill, but I THINK they are also supposed to be a bit more common in pregnancy and in very young women. I have one. If it doesn't cause any annoying symptoms (eg bleeding after sex, excessive discharge etc) then it is nothing more than a point of interest that you have one and it does not affect sexual health or fertility even if it is annoying. If it causes annoying/inconvenient bleeding, it can be cauterised, but may grow back if the hormonal conditions are right. That's always been my understanding, in any event!

[noddyholder]

I had one and had it cauterised as i panicked a bit after having some post sex bleeding but my gynae doc said it was harmless and not usually treated unless bothersome

[Blondeshavemorefun]

i have had 2 a few years ago

as others said - i bled during and after sex, went to see my gp and he examined me and said i had an erosion

gp booked me in for a scan and i had a camera and dye up me -i was asked if i wanted to watch - i did

it was weird feeling the camera scrape me and seeing the camera probe the erosion and me on the screen, and then i oozzed blood - quite fascinating tbh

anyway i had both lasered off and all has beeen fine since

[clmummy]

@shitemum i hope this message board is still somewhat active. Did the vit E supplements cure you? I have cervical ectropion due to hormone overload, what was yours caused by?

[Lastxmas]

The vit E fixed it for me. Not sure what caused it except i assume my diet wasn't great.

[clmummy]

@lastxmas how many mg of vit e were you taking? and how many times per day? Thank you.