You may need a cervical biopsy if your Pap smear results come back positive. Board-certified OB/GYN Anju Nayar, MD, FACOG, at Nova Women’s Health in North Reading, Massachusetts, performs both Pap smears and cervical biopsies, providing all the care you need at the modern and state-of-the-art office. The providers understand your concerns when needing a cervical biopsy and do everything possible to answer all your questions and concerns so you feel comfortable and cared for. Call the office today or schedule a cervical biopsy using the online booking tool.
You might need a cervical biopsy if your Pap smear results come back positive. A Pap smear is a routine health screening for cervical cancer.
A positive Pap smear doesn’t mean you have cervical cancer, but your test results indicate abnormal cells. A cervical biopsy is the follow-up test to your Pap smear that provides the additional information necessary to make a diagnosis.
Nova Women’s Health is a state-of-the-art facility that performs Pap smears and cervical biopsies.
The purpose of the cervical biopsy is to remove a sample of cervical tissue and send the sample to the lab for evaluation. Your provider at Nova Women’s Health may use various techniques when collecting the sample, such as:
For a punch biopsy, your provider uses a circular blade to remove a tissue sample. They may perform one or more punch biopsies on different areas of the cervix.
The provider uses a laser tool or a scalpel to remove a cone-shaped tissue sample from the cervix for a cone biopsy.
For an endocervical curettage, the OB/GYN uses a special instrument to scrape the lining of the endocervical canal, which is the inner part of the cervix.
Most cervical biopsies are done at the office using a local anesthetic, so you’re awake for the procedure but won’t feel any discomfort during the biopsy. In some cases, the OB/GYN performs the cervical biopsy at a surgical center using general anesthesia, so you’re asleep during the procedure.
Your provider at Nova Women’s Health discusses the details of your cervical biopsy at your consultation.
Your provider performs a colposcopy for the biopsy, using a special magnifying device that allows them to clearly see the lining of the cervix and find the abnormal tissue.
What happens after your cervical biopsy depends on the type of biopsy performed and the type of anesthesia used. For an in-office cervical biopsy, you can drive yourself home after the procedure. For any biopsy performed using sedation, you need to arrange to have someone take you home.
Your provider at Nova Women’s Health contacts you as soon as they have your test results.
Call Nova Women’s Health or schedule an appointment online to learn more about cervical biopsy.