CIN2 LLETZ - risk of future miscarriage/infertility?

[webminx]

Hi,
Hope someone can help me. Had colposcopy, biopsy results came back as CIN2. Clinic want to schedule LLETZ procedure. Asked about it and they said is v simple, almost risk free, high success rate etc. I asked about complications and they just mentioned risk of bleeding. However, on reading around online, I came across articles/blog posts and forums linking LLETZ with increased risk of miscarriage and infertility. Have one child but was planning on another. Am quite worried about it and would like to hear from others who have had LLETZ and either did/did not have any issues with a subsequent pregnancy?
Nurse said there was no proven link and I shouldn't believe what I read on the internet (duh!) but am concerned about it.
Any advice/experiences of others would be much appreciated!

Hope this helps. I had LLETZ in 2001 not actually knowing I was in the early stages of pregnancy. When I discovered I was pregnant I was quite shocked, but apart from a small amount of early bleeding, which showed up on an early scan, I went on to have a healthy DD.

I also had another DD two years later, so in my case the LLETZ didn't cause any problems.

I had CIN3 and a couple of chunks of my cervix taken out. It didn't really effect my fertility but the hole in my cervix waz quite scarred up and my periods didn't flow out properly. This was following 2 LLETZ procedures as I had quite a large area of dodgy cells.

As for miscarriage, my cervix was so tight that I had to have cs's. Or as my consultant put it "you could jump on a trampoline and that baby wouldn't come out". It's called cervical stenosis, very rare but generally means a cs if your cervix is too scarred to dilate.

I understand (from going though it myself, reading about it and on mn) that LLETZ is pretty safe. A small number of people have problems but it's not that common.

The risk is, basically, either your cervix scars up like Meglet's or is weakened and therefore opens too easily, increasing the chances of premature birth (but if this is thought to be a risk, they can put a stitch in the cervix to stop the weight of the baby opening the cervix prematurely). The chances of either happening with just one LLETZ treatment rather than multiple treatments are exceptionally low, hence it not being thought worth mentioning, I guess. It is a slightly higher risk if, rather than having standard LLETZ, you have a cone biopsy, which would only be done if the abnormality wasn't actually on the exterior part of the cervix but was actually going up inside the cervical canal. Or something like that! Basically, since this is your first and hopefully last time of having LLETZ, I really wouldn't worry about future pregnancies.

I had recurring CIN3 which took two rounds of LLETZ and one biopsy session to make go away, so my cervix is pretty shallow and mangled now. Although I've had trouble conceiving, both GP and consultant do not think that this is related to previous cervical procedures (though in my case that could be because there are other more probable causes for them to attribute infertility to). I did managed to conceive earlier this year, and although it all ended early, this was because it was ectopic, ie nothing that could be caused by cervical malfunctioning.

Still worth mentioning your fears to the person doing the procedure, though, so that an expert on the matter can put your mind at rest!

Thank you all so much for your posts! Was quite worried and had spiraled a bit I think! Is very reassuring that there looks to be minimal risk from (hopefully one) procedure. Never knew much about CIN etc. will definitely encourage friends to attend their smears now!

Really hope things work out for you, Northey, if you and your DP try again.

Thanks webminx! Good luck for your procedure - i found it really easy, so hopefully you will have a similarly low key experience.

The colposcopists'society website has some more info as well.

Thanks all - had to reschedule so am going in tomorrow morning for the procedure now. Feel really nervous about it. Does anyone know if it's done with a wire or a laser? Feel bit sick about it tbh - will they use a local anaesthetic?

Yes to local anaesthetic.

If it's LLETZ then it's done with a heated wire. I think it's the more commonly used procedure these days, because the tissue removed is preserved to check all the abnormality was removed rather than being zapped away completely.

thanks rabbitstew. At the colposcopy, they took two samples for biopsy without any anaesthetic, which was quite uncomfortable so am just really nervous and apprehensive this time round. Which i realize is unhelpful, but can't seem to shake the heebie-jeebies about it. Last 2 questions - How long does it usually take and would I be ok to walk home afterwards do you think?

It doesn't take long (except for the waiting in the waiting room...), although exactly how long depends on how much bleeding they have to cauterize, etc. Probably not a good idea to plan to walk home, afterwards, albeit it will probably be OK. The first time I was treated, I did walk home and it was fine. The 2nd time, I had a bigger chunk removed and they found it hard to stop it bleeding, so I was advised to move around as little as possible for the next few days!!!! Some people also feel a bit light headed afterwards (mainly the effects of the local anaesthetic). I didn't, but as I say, some people do feel a bit wobbly and shaky afterwards, so better to have someone pick you up if possible, or get a taxi home, or at least have a back up plan rather than rely on being able to walk.

Thanks! Hope it's not the same doctor that did the colposcopy - fingers crossed! Will get a taxi to be on the safe side and take it easy for the day. Thanks again!

I hope it all goes OK and you have a relaxing afternoon reading a book!

Thanks again for support -it all went fine and was not as bad as I expected at all! Phew. Hopefully that'll be it and the check up in 6 months time will give the all clear crosses fingers and toes