Symptoms:

• Abnormally heavy periods (menorrhagia)
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
  • After douching
  • After intercourse
  • After menopause
  • Between periods
• White or yellow mucus (leukorrhea)

Polyps may not cause symptoms.

Signs and tests:

During a pelvic examination, the health care provider will see smooth, red or purple, fingerlike growths on the cervix. A cervical biopsy will most often show cells that are consistent with a benign polyp. Rarely there may be abnormal, precancerous, or cancer cells in a polyp.

Treatment:

The health care provider can remove polyps during a simple, outpatient procedure. Gentle twisting of a cervical polyp may remove it. Larger polyps may require removal with electrocautery.

Although most cervical polyps are not cancerous (benign), the removed tissue should be sent to a laboratory and checked further.

Expectations (prognosis):

Typically, polyps are not cancerous (benign) and are easy to remove. Polyps do not usually grow back. Women who have polyps are at risk of growing more polyps.

Complications:

Some cervical cancers may first appear as a polyp. There may be bleeding and slight cramping for a few days after removal of a polyp.

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment if you have:

• Abnormal bleeding from the vagina
• Abnormal discharge from the vagina
• Abnormally heavy periods

Call your health care appointment to schedule regular gynecological exams and to determine how often you should receive a Pap smear .

Prevention:

See your health care provider to treat infections as soon as possible.