What Is a Colposcopy?

You have had your screening, the result was not quite normal, and now you have been offered another appointment with a longer name. That next step is often a colposcopy. Rather than repeat the screening test and hope for a clearer answer, this visit lets the clinician look at the cervix itself, magnified, and decide whether anything there needs a closer check. The 51-second video at the top of this page introduces the instrument used for that look — the colposcope — and the areas it is used to examine.

Step one: getting positioned, just like a Pap test

If you have had a Pap smear before, the start will feel familiar. You lie on an examination table with your feet supported, and a speculum is gently placed so the cervix can be seen. Our guide to what a Pap smear is and how it is done walks through that part in detail. The difference comes next: instead of simply collecting cells and finishing, the clinician stays looking.

Step two: the magnified look itself

The colposcope sits outside the body — it does not go inside you. Think of it as a bright, magnifying viewer on a stand, positioned so the clinician can see the surface of the cervix much larger and clearer than with the naked eye. The short anchor video follows this close examination of the cervix, vagina, and vulva for signs of disease. A mild solution is commonly dabbed onto the cervix during the examination; it can cause a brief tingling or mild stinging for some people, and it helps areas of changed cells stand out against the surrounding tissue so the clinician can judge where to look most carefully.

Step three: deciding whether to take a small sample

Sometimes the magnified view is reassuring on its own, and no sample is needed. Other times the clinician will take a tiny piece of tissue — a biopsy — from an area that looks different, so a laboratory can examine it directly. That step is covered in its own right in this cervical biopsy overview video, which runs just under three minutes. A biopsy can feel like a brief pinch or cramp when it is taken. It is a small sample, not a treatment in itself, and its job is to give a firmer answer than appearance alone can.

Afterwards: results, and what they actually settle

You will usually be told what the clinician could see on the day, in general terms, but a biopsy result takes longer because the tissue has to be prepared and examined in the laboratory. The outcome might be that no further action is needed beyond returning to routine follow-up, that a repeat check is sensible after an interval, or that an area of changed cells should be treated — your own clinic will explain which applies to you and why. Try not to fill the waiting gap with worst-case readings online. An abnormal screening result followed by a colposcopy is the screening system working as designed: it found something worth looking at early, while it can still be assessed calmly.

You do not need to prepare in any complicated way for most colposcopy appointments, but do follow any specific instructions in your appointment letter, and mention if you think you could be pregnant or if your period is due that day, as clinics sometimes prefer to plan around that. And if you feel faint, sore, or unwell during the visit, say so at the time — the team would rather pause and help than have you sit quietly through discomfort.

MedicalVideos.com has published trusted medical videos since 2007. The site was founded by Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim, MD, PhD — physician and researcher.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a colposcopy the same as a Pap smear?
No. A Pap smear collects loose cells from the cervix for laboratory screening. A colposcopy is a magnified visual examination of the cervix itself, usually done because a screening result or an examination suggested a closer look was worthwhile.

Does the colposcope go inside the body?
No. The colposcope stays outside, on a stand. Only the speculum — the same instrument used for a Pap test — is placed inside, so the cervix can be seen.

Will I definitely have a biopsy?
Not necessarily. A biopsy is taken only if the clinician sees an area that should be examined in the laboratory. Some colposcopies end with the visual examination alone.

What does it feel like?
Most people describe pressure from the speculum, possible tingling from the solution applied to the cervix, and — if a biopsy is taken — a brief pinch or cramp. Tell the team if you need a pause.

When will I get my results?
Anything seen on the day can usually be discussed straight away in general terms. Biopsy results take longer, because the sample is examined in a laboratory, and your clinic will tell you how and when those results will reach you.

Educational only — this article is general information about colposcopy, not medical advice. Why you were referred, what was seen, and what happens next are decisions for your own clinician and clinic, based on your results.