Cervical cryotherapy is a procedure which involves freezing an area of abnormal tissue on the cervix. This tissue gradually disappears and the cervix heals.
Cervical cryotherapy is a standard method used to treat cervical dysplasia, meaning the removal of abnormal cell tissue on the cervix.
Cervical cryotherapy, or freezing, usually lasts about five minutes and causes a slight amount of discomfort.
One cervical cryotherapy is usually sufficient to destroy the abnormal tissue.
Cervical cryotherapy is often followed by a heavy and often odorous discharge during the first month after the procedure. The discharge is due to the dead tissue cells leaving the treatment site.
The procedure is usually performed in an outpatient setting.
This is a question for your doctor, it partly depends how far on in pregnancy you are.
According to my gynecologist, they will wait to treat any cervical dysplasia until after delivery, as it can be risky to your pregnancy.
Uterine cramping (often occurs during the cryotherapy but rapidly subsides after treatment). Bleeding and infection (rare, but incidences have been reported). More difficult Pap smears.
Laser treatment and Loop electrocautery excision procedure (LEEP).
The cells destroyed by freezing are shed afterwards in a heavy watery discharge.
Women who undergo this procedure typically have had an abnormal Pap smear which has led to a diagnosis of cervical squamous dysplasia often confirmed by biopsy after a colposcopic exam.
The main advantage of cryotherapy is that it is a simple procedure that requires inexpensive equipment.