Cervical Incompetence Facts
Cervical incompetence occurs when an abnormally weak cervix painlessly dilates, leading to rupture of the membranes and delivery of a fetus that's usually too small to survive.

Cervical Polyps
The cervix is a tube-like structure that serves as the mouth of the uterus. The cervix is located inside the vagina, at the far end of the vaginal canal. Cervical polyps are growths that arise from either the cervical canal (ectocervical polyps) or the cervical glands (endocervical polyps). The polyps are usually cherry-red to reddish-purple or grayish-white; they vary in size and often look like bulbs on thin stems. Cervical polyps are usually benign and can occur singly or in groups. Most polyps are small, about one to two centimeters in length. Ectocervical polyps tend to have a short, broad base.

Cervical Ripening : Article by James R Schreiber, MD
Cervical Ripening - In pregnancy, the uterine cervix serves 2 major functions. First, it maintains its firmness, ie, physical integrity, during pregnancy as the uterus enlarges dramatically. This physical integrity is critical so that the developing fetus can remain in the uterus until the appropriate time for delivery. Second, in preparation for labor and delivery, the cervix softens and becomes more distensible, a process called cervical ripening. These chemical and physical changes are required for cervical dilatation, labor, and delivery ...

Cervical Ripening: eMedicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Overview: In pregnancy, the uterine cervix serves 2 major functions. First, it maintains its firmness (ie, physical integrity) during pregnancy as the uterus dramatically enlarges. This physical integrity is critical so that the developing fetus can remain in ...

Cervical Screening Wales homepage
Cervical Screening Wales - the Welsh cervical screening programme: home page

Cervical Smear Results Explained
The purpose of these guidelines is to provide general practitioners with an easy refeence for interpreting cervical screening results and taking appropriate action where indicated.

Cervical cerclage
Cervical cerclage is the placement of stitches in the cervix to hold it closed. In select cases, this procedure is used to keep a weak cervix (incompetent cervix) from opening early. Sometimes, cervical cerclage prevents the cervix from opening before the 37th week of pregnancy and triggering preterm labor and delivery. If you have an incompetent cervix, your doctor may recommend cervical cerclage.

Cervical stitch (cerclage) for preventing pregnancy loss in women (Cochrane Revi
A cervical stitch has been used to prevent preterm deliveries in women with previous second trimester pregnancy losses, or other risk factors such as short cervix on digital or ultrasound examination. To assess effectiveness and safety of prophylactic cerclage (before the cervix has dilated), emergency cerclage (where cervices have started to shorten and dilate) and then labour halted, and to determine whether a particular technique of stitch insertion is better than others.

Cervicitis : Article by Anita B Varkey, MD
Cervicitis - Cervicitis is an inflammation of the uterine cervix. Infectious cervicitis might be caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Trichomonas vaginalis, herpes simplex virus (HSV), or human papillomavirus (HPV). Noninfectious cervicitis might be caused by local trauma, radiation, or malignancy. The infectious etiologies are significantly more common than the noninfectious causes, and all possible infectious causes of cervicitis are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This article focuses on the infectious etiologies of ...

Cesarean Delivery : Article by Harish M Sehdev, MD
Cesarean Delivery - The phrase cesarean delivery is defined as the delivery of a fetus through a surgical incision through the abdominal wall (laparotomy) and uterine wall (hysterotomy). In the United States, it is customary to use only the letter e in the first syllable of cesarean. In Australia and England, the letters a and e still are used (ie, caesarean).The words cesarean and section both are derived from verbs that mean to cut; thus, the phrase cesarean section is ...

Cesarean Delivery: eMedicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Overview: Cesarean delivery is defined as the delivery of a fetus through a surgical incision through the abdominal wall (laparotomy) and uterine wall (hysterotomy). The words cesarean and section are both derived from verbs that mean to cut; ...

Chlamydia In Women
Chlamydia is a bacteria that causes an infection that is very similar to gonorrhea in the way that it is spread and the symptoms it produces. It has been estimated that 15% of sexually active persons in the U.S. develop Chlamydia infection of the genitals and/or urinary tract. Chlamydia infection affects approximately 3-5 million women annually.

Chronic Pelvic Pain : Article by Manish K Singh, MD
Chronic Pelvic Pain - Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common problem and presents a major challenge to health care providers because of its unclear etiology, complex natural history, and poor response to therapy.CPP is poorly understood and, consequently, poorly managed. This condition is best managed using a multidisciplinary approach. Management requires good integration and knowledge of all pelvic organ systems and other systems including musculoskeletal, neurologic, and psychiatric systems.A significant number of these patients may have various associated problems, ...

Chronic Pelvic Pain: eMedicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Overview: Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a common problem and presents a major challenge to health care providers because of its unclear etiology, complex natural history, and poor response to therapy. CPP is poorly understood and, consequently, ...

Classification of Smears
A smear is obtained by sampling the cells of the cervix, including the transformation zone, using a tool called a spatula. This spatula is then scraped along a microscope slide, covered with preservative and sent to the lab for examination by a trained specialist.

Clinical management guideline on cervical insufficiency.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recently published a clinical management guideline on cervical insufficiency. The complete guideline, ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 48, appeared in the November 2003 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. This report includes evidence for screening asymptomatic at-risk women and offers management guidelines.

Colposcopy
Colposcopy is an examination of a woman's vagina and cervix using a colposcope — a tubular instrument with a light source and lenses that magnify up to 25 times. Using a colposcope, a doctor can examine the cervix and vagina closely for cancer and for abnormal areas that might soon become cancer. Colposcopy takes about 15 minutes and requires no anesthesia.

Colposcopy - Womens Health
Colposcopy is a gynecological procedure that allows a physician to look directly at the cervix with a microscope in order to detect and examine abnormalities of the cervix. The cervix is the base of the womb (uterus) and leads out to the birth canal (vagina). During colposcopy, special tests (acetic acid wash, use of color filters, and sampling (biopsy) of tissues from the cervix) can be done. Colposcopy is not to be confused with culdoscopy, which is the insertion of an instrument through the wall of the vagina in order to view the pelvic area behind the vagina.

Colposcopy : Article by Charles Pattan, MD
Colposcopy - ...

Colposcopy: eMedicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Overview: History of the Procedure Literally translated, colposcopy (colpo: vagina; scope: to look) means to look into the vagina. Colposcopy was first described by Hans Hinselman of Germany in 1925 as a screening tool for cervical cancer. Hinselman ...

Common Pregnancy Complaints and Questions : Article by Suzanne R Trupin, MD
Common Pregnancy Complaints and Questions - What are the first symptoms of pregnancy? Missing a period usually is the first signal of a new pregnancy, although irregular periods may complicate the situation. During this time, many women experience a need to urinate frequently, extreme fatigue, nausea and/or vomiting, and increased breast tenderness. All or some of these symptoms are normal. Most over-the-counter pregnancy tests are sensitive 9-12 days after conception, and they are readily available at most drug stores. Performing ...

Communication in Crisis : Article by Marghani Reever
Communication in Crisis - The importance of effective communication in medicine often is overlooked. For female patients, this is a particular concern, especially for women with obstetrical and/or gynecologic health problems. A large body of literature exists that discusses the different communication styles of men and women. Because of these differences, discussing obstetrical and/or gynecologic health problems, particularly with a male health care provider, is likely to be problematic for many women. This issue takes on even more importance in ...

Communication in Crisis: eMedicine Obstetrics and Gynecology
Overview: The importance of effective communication in medicine is often overlooked. For female patients, effective communication is a particular concern, especially for women with obstetric or gynecologic health problems. In a recent study looking at what women want ...

Complementary and alternative therapies for pain management in labour (Cochrane
Abstract of a systematic review of the effects of health care prepared by the Cochrane Collaboration.

Complete Abortion : Article by Elizabeth Puscheck, MD
Complete Abortion - An abortion is the spontaneous or induced loss of an early pregnancy. The period of pregnancy prior to fetal viability outside of the uterus is considered early pregnancy. Most consider early pregnancy to end at 20-24 weeks’ gestation. The term miscarriage is used often in the lay language and refers to spontaneous ...