What Happens During a Colposcopy
Once you arrive at our clinic and are shown to the exam room, you will be left alone to undress and put on a lap cover so that you can be more easily examined. Once you’re comfortably in the gown and are lying down on the exam table, the doctor will come back inside the room, and she will pull out stirrups from under the medical table to support your heels. You will slide down so that you are at a good placement for your colposcopy.
Once you’re in place, the colposcopy will begin. The entire exam takes about 15 minutes. Your provider will gently insert a plastic or metal speculum into the vaginal opening. Lubricant may be used to help. The speculum will slightly open the walls of your vagina to allow a better view of your cervix.
The colposcope does not go inside of you. It will be placed a few inches away from your vulva, and will utilize a bright light and a lens to help the doctor assess your cervix. A solution — sometimes vinegar — will be applied to the cervix to help abnormalities show up. If any are found, a sample will be taken and sent to the lab.
