HealthInfo Canterbury
Treatment after an abnormal smear result
It can be worrying to get an "abnormal" smear result, but it's important to remember that when you have treatment for abnormal cells, they're unlikely to develop into cervical cancer in the future.
The treatment involves removing the abnormal cells, and is successful 95% of the time.
If your results just show some mildly abnormal cells, monitoring to see what happens is often the best option. You'll be invited to have smear tests more often, to make sure the results are not getting worse.
In some cases, it may be best to investigate further. There are three common procedures for moderately abnormal smear results.
- You may be referred for a colposcopy. This simple procedure is similar to a smear test, and allows a specialist to look at the entrance to your womb (cervix) through an instrument called a colposcope. It's done at the Colposcopy Department at Christchurch Women's Hospital. The procedure takes 15 to 20 minutes and you can go home the same day.
- If your results show more serious changes, or if they're not clear, your doctor will advise you to have a cone biopsy. This is a minor surgical procedure. The surgeon will remove a cone-shaped piece of the cervix that contains abnormal cells.
- You may need a LLETZ biopsy. In this procedure, the abnormal cells are removed using a fine wire loop.
Both the cone biopsy and the LLETZ biopsy remove the abnormal cells, with some normal cells around them. The doctor will send the sample to the pathology lab for detailed testing.
Depending on the results, you may need further treatment. Afterwards you'll need to have lifelong screening, either through colposcopies or smear tests. Your doctor will advise what follow-up is best for you.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- Healthtalk.org – Colposcopy videos
This page has links to several videos of women talking about their experiences with a colposcopy examination and biopsy.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- National Screening Unit – Colposcopy
Colposcopy is an examination of the cervix, using a microscope called a colposcope. This page describes the procedure in more detail.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed September 2021.
SourcesReview key: HICES-20461
