How to effectively prevent chronic cervicitis? Three things you must know about preventing chronic cervicitis

The cervical canal contains glandular cells that secrete mucus. The cervical mucus secreted is usually very viscous, which can prevent bacteria and sperm from entering the uterine cavity, acting as a natural barrier and having its own protective function. Cervical incompetence is also called cervical incompetence or cervical relaxation. It is one of the causes of habitual late abortion and premature birth, and the incidence of recurrent abortion is 8% to 15%.

With the change of menstrual cycle (which changes with the cyclical change of sex hormones), the diameter of the external cervical opening, the size of the cervical opening, the degree of vascular change of the tissue, and the properties (physical and chemical properties) and quantity of cervical mucus all change cyclically. In the first half of the menstrual cycle (referring to the period from the onset of menstruation to the ovulation period), the cervix is ​​affected by sex hormones (mainly estrogen) and begins to become congested, edematous, and vascularized. At the same time, the cervical mucus will become thin and transparent for several consecutive days. It still has the effect of preventing infection and can also allow sperm to enter the uterus smoothly to achieve the purpose of fertilization (the cervical mucus at this time is thin, transparent, and the drawing degree can reach 10cm. Fern-like crystals can be seen under the microscope); in the second half of the menstrual cycle (referring to the onset of ovulation to the next menstruation), under the influence of sex hormones (mainly progesterone), the secretion of cervical mucus gradually decreases, the texture becomes sticky and turbid, the drawing degree becomes poor and easy to break, and ellipsoids can be seen under the microscope.

Before a woman's menarche, the pH of her vagina is neutral, and thereafter the pH is between 7.2 and 7.4 (acidic). Most microorganisms cannot tolerate such a highly acidic environment, which has a protective effect on the internal reproductive organs.

There are three types of cervical insufficiency:

(1) Congenital cervical insufficiency:

About 1/3 of patients with cervical insufficiency have congenital factors, which are often accompanied by abnormal development of the Müllerian duct, such as unicornuate uterus or septate uterus. It may also be due to cervical histological defects and insufficient cervical elastin content.

(2) Acquired cervical insufficiency:

It often occurs after obstetric or gynecological surgical injuries, such as rough cervical dilation and cervical cone resection during abortion, and cervical lacerations that are not sutured in time during delivery; it can also be secondary to changes in the anatomical structure of the cervix or lower uterine segment, such as the occurrence of fibroids.

(3) Physiological cervical insufficiency:

Some scholars believe that the internal cervical os acts as a functional sphincter during pregnancy. The internal cervical os sphincter function is weakened in patients with subclinical uterine contraction or hypotonic internal cervical os. In addition, bromelain and papain can relax the cervix. Cervical insufficiency cannot withstand the increase in intrauterine pressure as the pregnancy progresses. Amniotic membrane rupture often occurs in the second trimester of pregnancy, resulting in miscarriage, and completely normal embryonic tissue can be expelled.

The muscles and connective tissues of the cervical os are spiral-shaped, just like the knots of a sack, and have a sphincter effect. Its function is regulated by sex hormones. Estrogen relaxes the sphincter effect, and progesterone causes the muscles of the internal cervical os to contract. Therefore, the sphincter effect of the internal cervical os is enhanced during pregnancy when progesterone is dominant. If the sphincter function is impaired, it may lead to relaxation and miscarriage. For example, congenital uterine hypoplasia or malformed internal cervical os can cause weak sphincter function due to poor development of nerves and muscles. Acquired causes such as excessive cervical dilation, too deep cervical electrocautery or electrocautery, placenta previa, and too fast delivery can damage or tear the cervical canal, especially the tissue of the internal cervical os. Pathological examination of the internal cervical os of patients with cervical insufficiency showed that more than 50% of them had local scar tissue or chronic inflammation.

When women are of childbearing age, changes in sex hormones during the menstrual cycle will affect the morphology and function of the reproductive tract epithelium. Since the external os of the cervix is ​​the junction of two types of epithelium - squamous epithelium and columnar epithelium, repeated hyperplasia, secretion, and infection make cell proliferation disorders more likely to occur, leading to cervical cancer.

During sexual intercourse, the cervix is ​​subjected to friction and collision, which may cause micro-injury. If microbial infection is introduced, it is more likely to invade; semen is alkaline, which is a kind of damage to the pH of the female vaginal environment; the enlarged uterus, fetus, amniotic fluid, etc. during pregnancy rely on the pelvic floor tissue composed of the cervix to maintain in the pelvic cavity and prevent them from leaving the mother's body. The relaxation of the cervical opening is more likely to cause premature birth.; During pregnancy, the cervical mucosa is congested and the tissue is edematous. The effect of hormones causes the squamous-columnar junction to move outward, making it more prone to erosion; during childbirth, the fetus passes through the cervix, and most of the cervix forms transverse fissures. Changes in the anatomical structure can cause the cervix to change due to susceptible factors.

Therefore, the cervix is ​​indeed "hard-working" in fulfilling the female reproductive function and is easily damaged, so it must be taken extra care to prevent the occurrence of chronic cervicitis.