The importance of size of cervical ectopy to predict postcoital bleeding: is there any cut-off value?

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between size of cervical ectopy and existence of postcoital bleeding (PCB) in non-symptomatic women.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Study population were recruited from women ages 18-65 years, sexually active who applied to the present outpatient department. They were asked whether they had had postcoital bleeding in the last three months. After ful visualization of the cervix, the existence of ectopy was noted and measured. The smears were taken from all patients with endobrushes.

RESULTS

The authors found a relationship between the size of ectopy and PCB. In the prediction of PCB, the lesion's size (of both antero-posterior and transverse diameters) of 3.5 mm as the cut off level, sensitivity, and specificity were found to be 70% and 76%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The full visualization of the cervix is important because of the relationship between the existence of ectopy and PCB.