Although it can be quite worrying to be told you have an abnormal pap smear result, it does not mean you have cervical cancer. Inflammation or vaginal infection is a more common cause.

Colposcopy is a common diagnostic procedure used to follow up on an abnormal pap smear. It is a simple, 15-minute procedure and can be carried out at Dr Kemball’s clinic in the CBD.

He will use a colposcope (an electric microscope positioned outside the vagina) to view your cervix. A bright light on the end of the colposcope lets Dr Kemball magnify the cervix to make a more accurate diagnosis. He may need to take a tissue sample for biopsy, and this could cause some discomfort – but in general the procedure is quite painless.