Colposcopy while breastfeeding & abnormal results

[Mombojombo]

Clinic is closed and Dr Google failing me, so wondered if anyone had experience/knowledge about this:

A few months before getting pregnant I had some odd bleeding; Dr referred me for colposcopy which came back normal. Follow up was scheduled for 6 months later, by which time I was pregnant so they postponed it again, saying results would be skewed by pregnancy. It was rescheduled for 4 months post partum, when my 'cycle would be re-established' - I think they were assuming I'd FF... She was very specific that cervixes don't 'behave' properly until then.

DS is now 15 weeks old and EBF. Periods not back yet. Does anyone know if colp/smear results will be affected by this? I'd really like to avoid the hassle and stress of potential abnormal results, and would frankly like to avoid the whole thing, having become extremely phobic about my undercarriage following hideous birth trauma!!

Quite a specific question I realise, so will persevere with phoning the clinic; but I know there's a wealth of experience here!

I have had a colposcopy before and needed follow ups when pregnant.

I was told that they would do a smear when pregnant due to it interfering with the cervix - not that results would be skewed. I then had to have a smear 12 weeks post partum. I did breast fed for a couple of weeks with dd1 and also had not had a period when I had the smear. No one asked me anything about my cycle or how I was feeding the baby so I am assuming it would not effect the result?

Not sure if that is any help at all - sorry!

I wonder if the 'got to have cycles back' thing is due to the cervix returning to it's pre-pregnancy site rather than because shedding womb lining does something to the cervix but it still returns if you bf, you just might not be ovulating....

The colposcopy is to look for cancer or cells that are in a pre-cancerous or mutated state which will carry on growing/mutating regardless of period/bfing status and to do a biopsy if they find anything. The biopsy is done under local anaesthetic and then sent off to the lab to be studied.

I have had 2 colposcopies this year due to severe diskaryosis/pre-cancerous cells II & III. I am bfing and at no point was it mentioned that I needed to have my period (got mine back at 11m pp but moderately irregular so not predicatable).

In fact I missed a few smears between DD2 & DD3 (got period back at 11m pp then and got pg 13m pp so only had two periods before getting pg again) as I was under the impression that I had to have my period to have a smear (was firmly disabused of this notion by the practice nurse ).

I know it's difficult to have these things done - I had a small panic attack and cried buckets during the first one but the staff were lovely and gentle with me and I was fine for the 2nd one due to how well I was treated - but it really does need to be done as the cells can change quickly (I went from severe diskaryosis to pre-cancerous in under 3m - I dread to think what could have happened if I had delayed the 2nd colposcopy ).

I had to have a LLETZ under GA due to the size/position of the pre-cancerous cells and it wasn't fun but it was worth it to not get cervical cancer as what could have happened if I had put it off.

Get it done (take OH/a friend/your mum for support if you need to) and hopefully things will be all ok. You could always speak to the Coploscopy suite staff first to explain your concerns/fears and they will do their best to put you at ease. I think they are very used to women being upset during these things as they are so so gentle and kind to their patients (so much so that I think every Dr/nurse/hcp should be sent for what ever training the Colposcopy staff get!) and the tissues appeared as if by magic when I needed them

Good luck.

Arrrrrr thanks Truthsweet, just what I needed to 'hear'. I've already had one colposcopy & biopsy, this is the follow up appt. I cried like a baby that time and that was without birth-wrecked nether regions. DH is coming with me, ostensibly to look after DS, so if I turn to wibbling jelly he'll be there to scrape me up!

I know it's completely essential to do it, but the implication from the nurse last time was that periods had to have returned. Looks like that's bobbins!

mombo - Hope you get the all clear