Editing Colposcopy (section)

== Indications ==
[[file:Colposcopy.png|thumb|300px|left|An illustration of a colposcopy procedure.]]
Most women undergo a colposcopy to further investigate an abnormal [[pap test]] result ([[Cytopathology|cytological]]).

Other reasons for a patient to have a colposcopy include:
* assessment of [[diethylstilbestrol]] (DES) exposure in utero,
* [[immunosuppression]] such as [[HIV]] infection, or an organ transplant patient
* an abnormal appearance of the cervix as noted by a primary care provider
* as a part of a [[rape kit|sexual assault forensic examination]] using a specialized colposcope equipped with a camera<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://samfe.dna.gov/examination_process/exam_evidence_collection_procedures/conducting/ |title=Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations |access-date=2010-02-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222172726/http://samfe.dna.gov/examination_process/exam_evidence_collection_procedures/conducting/ |archive-date=2009-12-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Many physicians base their current evaluation and treatment decisions on{{cn|date=February 2020}} the report "Evidence-Based Consensus Recommendations for Colposcopy Practice for Cervical Cancer Prevention in the United States", developed by the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, most recently in 2017.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Evidence-Based Consensus Recommendations for Colposcopy Practice for Cervical Cancer Prevention in the United States|journal=Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease|language=en-US|volume=21|issue=4|pages=216–222|doi=10.1097/LGT.0000000000000322|pmid=28953109|issn=1526-0976|year=2017|last1=Wentzensen|first1=Nicolas|last2=Massad|first2=L. Stewart|last3=Mayeaux|first3=Edward J.|last4=Khan|first4=Michelle J.|last5=Waxman|first5=Alan G.|last6=Einstein|first6=Mark H.|last7=Conageski|first7=Christine|last8=Schiffman|first8=Mark H.|last9=Gold|first9=Michael A.|last10=Apgar|first10=Barbara S.|last11=Chelmow|first11=David|last12=Choma|first12=Kim K.|last13=Darragh|first13=Teresa M.|last14=Gage|first14=Julia C.|last15=Garcia|first15=Francisco A.R.|last16=Guido|first16=Richard S.|last17=Jeronimo|first17=Jose A.|last18=Liu|first18=Angela|last19=Mathews|first19=Cara A.|last20=Mitchell|first20=Martha M.|last21=Moscicki|first21=Anna-Barbara|last22=Novetsky|first22=Akiva P.|last23=Papasozomenos|first23=Theognosia|last24=Perkins|first24=Rebecca B.|last25=Silver|first25=Michelle I.|last26=Smith|first26=Katie M.|last27=Stier|first27=Elizabeth A.|last28=Tedeschi|first28=Candice A.|last29=Werner|first29=Claudia L.|last30=Huh|first30=Warner K.|s2cid=24933665|url=https://escholarship.org/content/qt2pp0r8f2/qt2pp0r8f2.pdf?t=qgpjja}}</ref>

Colposcopy is not generally performed for people with pap test results showing low-grade [[squamous intraepithelial lesion]] (LSIL) or less. SILs are an abnormal growth of [[Epithelium|epithelial]] cells, known as a lesion, on the surface of the [[cervix]]. Unless the person has a visible lesion, colposcopy for this population does not detect a recurrence of cancer.<ref name="SGOfive">{{Citation |author1 = Society of Gynecologic Oncology |author1-link = Society of Gynecologic Oncology |date = February 2014 |title = Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question |publisher = Society of Gynecologic Oncology |work = [[Choosing Wisely]]: an initiative of the [[ABIM Foundation]] |url = http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/society-of-gynecologic-oncology/ |access-date = 19 February 2013}}, which cites
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1097/AOG.0b013e3182271fdd| pmid = 21860282| title = Cervicovaginal Cytology in the Detection of Recurrence After Cervical Cancer Treatment| journal = Obstetrics & Gynecology| volume = 118| issue = 3| pages = 548–53| year = 2011| last1 = Rimel | first1 = B. J.| last2 = Ferda | first2 = A. | last3 = Erwin | first3 = J. | last4 = Dewdney | first4 = S. B. | last5 = Seamon | first5 = L. | last6 = Gao | first6 = F. | last7 = Desimone | first7 = C. | last8 = Cotney | first8 = K. K. | last9 = Huh | first9 = W. | last10 = Massad | first10 = L. S. | s2cid = 2465459}}
* {{Cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.ygyno.2013.05.037| pmid = 23747836| title = Cost analysis of colposcopy for abnormal cytology in post-treatment surveillance for cervical cancer| journal = Gynecologic Oncology| volume = 130| issue = 3| pages = 421–5| year = 2013| last1 = Tergas | first1 = A. I. | last2 = Havrilesky | first2 = L. J. | last3 = Fader | first3 = A. N. | last4 = Guntupalli | first4 = S. R. | last5 = Huh | first5 = W. K. | last6 = Massad | first6 = L. S. | last7 = Rimel | first7 = B. J. }}</ref>