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Cervicitis

Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Female reproductive anatomy
Female reproductive anatomy
Cervicitis
Cervicitis
Uterus
Uterus

Alternative Names    Return to top

Cervical inflammation; Inflammation - cervix

Definition    Return to top

Cervicitis is swelling (inflammation) of the end of the uterus (cervix).

Causes    Return to top

Cervicitis is most often caused by an infection. However, in a few cases it may be due to:

Cervicitis is very common, affecting more than half of all women at some point during their adult lives. Risks include:

STDs that can cause cervicitis include:

Bacteria (such as staphylococcus and streptococcus) and too much growth of normal bacteria in the vagina (bacterial vaginosis), can also cause cervicitis.

Symptoms    Return to top

Note: There may be no symptoms.

Exams and Tests    Return to top

A pelvic examination may show:

Tests:

Treatment    Return to top

Treatments include:

Outlook (Prognosis)    Return to top

Simple cervicitis usually heals with treatment if the cause is found and there is a treatment for that cause.

Possible Complications    Return to top

Cervicitis may last for months to years. Cervicitis may lead to pain with intercourse (dyspareunia).

When to Contact a Medical Professional    Return to top

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of cervicitis.

Prevention    Return to top

Ways to reduce the risk of cervicitis include:

Update Date: 2/19/2008

Updated by: Peter Chen, MD, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed byDavid Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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