Hello, sorry not sure if this is the right place to post this but hopefully it is!
I had a colposcopy 9 weeks ago after they found low grade abnormal cells in my smear so I’ve now been asked to go in for a LLETZ. The problem is that in the 9 weeks it took for the colposcopy results to come through I’ve fallen pregnant. I still have to go to my LLETZ appointment in a couple of weeks to talk to the consultant but now I’m worried about a couple of things:
if the colposcopy had found actual cancer, would they have just sent a letter asking me to go in for a LLETZ, or would I have been referred to another team? and can I now assume that what’s been found is pre-cancerous?
if it is precancerous what have other people done in this position? I read that cervical cancer is fairly slow to develop so usually is it ok to continue the pregnancy and then receive a LLETZ afterwards or do things progress too quickly for that?
Sorry if these questions don’t have right or wrong answers, I know everyone is different but I’m just curious about the process and would like to know what I’m likely walking into when I go for my appointment. Also It’s Sod’s law that I managed to get pregnant in this time as had been trying for quite a long time and thought we had missed the window this month.
Hi halfbuffy and welcome to the group.
Yes you are posting in the right place for all things cervical and congratulations on your lovely pregnancy news!
The colposcopy is done to check the cells after an abnormal smear, so I’m wondering first if the colposcopy results differed from the smear results saying low grade? Often low grade changes are left without treatment to see if your body can get on top of the hpv virus, and the cells may return to normal. If the results had found cancer in the cells, you would have been told, so it seems the cells would likely have been abnormal but not cancer. The cells however may be at a different level of abnormality to the results from the smear.
You should have been told what the colposcopy identified-which level of abnormality was found- and hence why the LLETZ would be required. It would likely be precancerous cells, but you should have been told if these cells are CIN1, 2 or 3. Were you told your colposcopy results?
It’s best to ask when you go to your appointment, or even before that, what will happen next since you are pregnant. It may be that they are happy to wait and not do the LLETZ while you are pregnant as typically cell changes are slow to develop and it’s not an automatic assumption that abnormal cells would ever become cancer. Pregnancy and birth can often clear the abnormal cells anyway. You will be closely monitored as your pregnancy progresses. I presume you have already advised the clinic that you are pregnant?
Please feel free to ask any further questions-we tend to have more ladies with cancer as opposed to precancer in the group, but happy to help if I can.
Sarah xx
