What is Cervical Dysplasia?

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By Diana Monda Dill
eHow Contributing Writer

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Cervical dysplasia is a term used to refer to a medical disorder in which pre-cancerous changes occur in the inner lining of the uterus. This causes the growth of abnormal cell tissue in the cervix. Cervical dysplasia is a potentially cancerous condition.

Causes

Cervical dysplasia is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-contracted virus that infects the cell lining of the cervix.

Types

There are two types of cervical dysplasia: squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Diagnosis

Cervical dysplasia is diagnosed by means of a pap smear or a medical procedure called cold knife conization (CKC).

Risk Factors

Certain factors increase the likelihood of cervical dysplasia, including multiple sexual partners, cigarette smoking, long-term use of oral contraceptives and poor nutrition.

Treatments

A number of medical procedures have been developed to treat cervical dysplasia. They include cryotherapy, Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP), laser ablasion and cone biopsy. For severe cases, a hysterectomy, the surgical removal of the uterus, may be performed.