Cervicitis
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Cervicitis is inflammation of the cervix (the lower, narrow part of the uterus that opens into the vagina). It may be caused by an infection or another condition.
- Cervicitis is often caused by a sexually transmitted disease but may result from other conditions.
- The most common symptoms are an unusual discharge from the vagina and vaginal bleeding between menstrual periods or after sexual intercourse, but women may not have any symptoms.
- If symptoms suggest a cervical infection, doctors use a swab to obtain a sample from the cervix to be tested for microorganisms that can cause infection.
- Women are often first given antibiotics that are effective against chlamydial infections and gonorrhea (the most common causes).
Cervicitis may spread upward from the cervix and affect the lining of the uterus (causing endometritis) and other reproductive organs (causing pelvic inflammatory disease).
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Inflammation of the cervix.
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