What the risks are:

After the biopsy, you may have some bleeding for up to a week. You may have mild cramping, your vagina may feel sore, and you may have a dark discharge for 1 - 3 days.

A colposcopy and biopsy will not make it more difficult for you to become pregnant, or cause problems during pregnancy.

Call your health care provider if:

• Bleeding is very heavy or lasts for longer than 2 weeks.
• You have pain in your belly or in the pelvic area.
• You notice any signs of infection (fever, foul odor, or discharge).

Special considerations:

You may have some bleeding after the biopsy for up to 1 week.

You should not douche, place tampons or creams into the vagina, or have sex for up to a week afterward. Ask your doctor or nurse how long you should wait. You can use sanitary pads.

If the colposcopy or biopsy does not show why the Pap smear was abnormal, your health care provider may suggest that you have a more extensive biopsy.

See also: Cold knife cone biopsy