Cervical dysplasia

Most cases of cervical dysplasia are caused by HPV infection. HPV is very common and is spread through sexual contact.

Treatment and prevention strategies are primarily for the prevention of cervical cancer.

HPV vaccination prevents HPV infection, cervical dysplasia, and cervical cancer. Doctors recommend HPV vaccination for boys and girls aged 11 and 12, and for all women between the ages of 13 and 26 who have not previously been vaccinated for HPV.

Treatment options depend on the severity of cervical dysplasia. Treatment may include:

• Watchful waiting: Many cases of mild cervical dysplasia go away without treatment. Your care provider may recommend follow-up Pap tests at six and 12 months.
• Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP): Health care providers use cervical dysplasia LEEP to remove areas of moderate to severe cervical dysplasia from the cervix. This in-office procedure involves using an electric wire to remove abnormal tissue.
• Cryotherapy: Doctors use cryotherapy to treat moderate to severe cervical dysplasia. This in-office process involves using extreme cold to destroy the abnormal cells.
• Laser therapy: Laser energy burns off moderate to severe cervical dysplasia. Like LEEP and cryotherapy, laser therapy is an in-office procedure.
• Cone biopsy, or surgical removal of part of the cervix: Doctors perform this procedure in a hospital, while you are under general anesthesia, to treat extensive areas of cervical dysplasia.

Make regular follow-up appointments with your Dignity Health doctor to assess cervical dysplasia and have Pap tests. Most doctors recommend a Pap test one year after treatment. Based on those results, your doctor will make additional recommendations for future screening.

Dignity Health provides personalized gynecological treatments for cervical dysplasia in Arizona, California, and Nevada.