Don't be fooled by false cervical erosion

Case: 18-year-old Xiaoyu (pseudonym) is a middle school student who has never been in a relationship. Once, when she was examined in the obstetrics and gynecology clinic because of dysfunctional uterine bleeding, she was found to have mild symptoms of cervical erosion.

The family was puzzled. How could Xiaoyu, who had no sex life, be related to "cervical erosion"? After careful examination and inquiry into her medical history, the doctor concluded that Xiaoyu had pseudocervical erosion.

Answer: Cervical erosion also needs to be “debunked”

The concept of cervical erosion in medical pathology is "desorption and ulceration of the cervical epithelium". Cervical erosion is the most common manifestation of cervicitis, which is mainly divided into mild, moderate and severe. Among them, severe erosion is manifested as papillary and hyperplastic erosion, while mild erosion is small, mild superficial granular erosion.

But sometimes, some symptoms that look like cervical erosion cannot easily be used to "diagnose" cervical erosion. Xiaoyu's situation is pseudocervical erosion. Xiaoyu's condition is mainly due to excessive estrogen in her body, which causes the columnar epithelium in the cervical canal to move outward to the surface of the cervix. The appearance is very similar to mild erosion and is almost indistinguishable with the naked eye. There are many patients like Xiaoyu who suffer from pseudocervical erosion caused by estrogen stimulation. They are mostly seen in adolescent girls, pregnant women, and women who often take birth control pills.

As long as inflammation and cancer are ruled out, there is no need to be too nervous or over-treat pseudocervical erosion. Especially for pregnant women, due to physiological reasons, the cervix will be congested and edematous. Treatment will have adverse effects, leading to miscarriage, premature birth, etc. Generally speaking, as long as hormones return to normal, the symptoms will disappear. However, regular examinations are still necessary to prevent missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis.

Special reminder:

The cervix is ​​a tube leading to the uterus, and its role cannot be underestimated. During sexual intercourse, sperm enters the uterine cavity through the cervix; during menstruation, menstrual blood is discharged through the cervix; during childbirth, the cervix undergoes significant changes, expanding from 1 cm to 10 cm to facilitate the passage of the fetus. Therefore, the cervix is ​​a "barrier" to protect the uterus and an important line of defense to prevent pathogens from invading the uterine cavity.

Because the cervix is ​​busy, it is also prone to infection. The cervix itself is rich in elastic fibers and has a good ability to expand, but it can also tear during childbirth. Coupled with bacterial infection, cervicitis may occur. Cervicitis is one of the most common diseases in women, and long-term inflammation is related to the occurrence of cervical cancer.

However, there is an advantage for people to deal with cervical diseases. The cervix protrudes from the vaginal opening, and the doctor can see the condition of the cervix directly during the gynecological examination. Experts remind women to pay attention to gynecological examinations on a regular basis, as cervical lesions are easier to detect and treat early.