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Bacterial Vaginosis

Bacterial vaginosis is a common inflammation of the vagina caused by bacteria. . It is normal to have these bacteria in the vagina. However, too many of them in the vagina can cause unpleasant symptoms like discharge from the vagina. The discharge may be gray or yellowish with fishy odor. You may also have itching around the opening of the vagina. Your health care provider may prescribe a medicine called Flagyl that you take by mouth. Or your provider may prescribe a medicine for you to put into your vagina. Do not drink any alcohol while you are taking Flagyl and for 2 days after you finish the medicine. Drinking alcohol while you are taking Flagyl may cause a severe hangover. If there is a possibility that you may be pregnant, do NOT take Flagyl and tell your health care provider. Flagyl should not be used during the first 3 months of pregnancy. It should be used during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy if it is clearly needed.

Pap Smear abnormalities/Cervical Dysplasia

Cervical dysplasia is an abnormal growth of cells on the cervix. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Babies develop in the uterus, and menstrual blood comes from the uterus. Another term for cervical dysplasia is cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, or CIN.
You have a greater risk for cervical dysplasia if:   
* You had sexual intercourse before the age of 18.
* You have had more than 2 sex partners.
* You smoke.
* You have had genital warts, genital herpes, or HIV/AIDS.
* You have had unprotected sex with multiple partners.
* You have not had enough folic acid in your diet.
Cervical dysplasia is diagnosed by a simple, painless test called a Pap Smear. To do a Pap Smear your doctor takes cells from the cervix on the slide. This is sent to a lab to be viewed under a microscope.
If your pap smear shows an abnormality, you may have a colposcopy. For this procedure a colposcope (an instrument with a magnifying lens) is placed at the opening of the vagina and used to look closely at the cervix. Small samples of any tissue that appears abnormal may be removed and sent to the lab for tests.
It is very important to have dysplasia treated to help stop it from becoming cervical cancer. The specific treatment may depend on whether the dysplasia is mild, moderate, or severe.
Mild cervical dysplasia, also called CIN 1, often goes away without treatment. If you have mild dysplasia, you should have another Pap smear  6 months. If the Pap Smear still shows mild dysplasia, your Doctor may recommend colposcopy.
If you have moderate dysplasia, called CIN 2, or severe dysplasia (CIN 3)you may need treatment he abnormal tissue can  be removed with a thin wire loop attached to an electrical unit. This is called the loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (LEETZ). 

Sometimes your doctor will recommend  a cone biopsy, which is the removal of a cone-shaped piece of the cervix. This procedure is also called conization of the cervix. It removes the tissue containing abnormal cells. Your provider can cut the tissue out with a surgical knife, cautery (burning tool), laser, or wire loop. If the procedure is done with a knife or laser, it is usually done in an operating room. The tissue removed is examined in the lab to check for cancer.

Very few women have trouble getting pregnant or have miscarriages as a result of any of these treatments, including cone biopsies. If you become pregnant and have had a cone biopsy, tell your prenatal care provider about it. Most women who have had a cone biopsy are able to become pregnant and carry the baby to term without problems.