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Question - Cervical Dysplasia/Stenosis Prevent Conception?:
"I have had five cone biopsies in the past 10 years for cervical dysplasia. Due to the biopsies, I have been told that I have cervical stenosis. Will having had cervical dysplasia and this stenosis make it difficult for me to get pregnant? What other problems could I be facing?"
Answer:
After a lot of digging around, I have to conclude that if those are your only problem situations in the reproductive arena, chances are pretty good that you won't have a problem trying to conceive.
To clarify, having dysplasia in and of itself shouldn't be a reproductive issue. However, many women who have cervical dysplasia may also be more at risk for some sexually transmitted infections. If you are one of those women, then it is possible that your fertility may be negatively impacted. For example, chlamydia is one of those symptomless infections that is virtually rampant among some groups of young women, and is unfortunately leading to a lot of related infertility in their future.
So, just the fact that you've had dysplasia isn't the concern regarding getting pregnant, but it sounds as though you have a recurring case, which may mean you're at risk for other infertility-causing situations.
Stenosis could present a problem, but it's not likely. Stenosis refers to a "stiffening" of muscles; therefore, in cases of cervical stenosis, the already very constricted muscles that hold a woman's cervix closed (very important, obviously, during pregnancy) may not dilate (open) in a normal fashion.
The amount of cervical opening that is necessary for sperm to get through is so minimal (even though they're the biggest human cells, sperm are still just individual cells) even stenosis appears to not be an issue here. If there is any stenosis related fertility issue, it can be corrected through IUI procedures. You would want to be sure that whoever performs your IUI knows of the stenosis well in advance, so that you can discuss various dilation procedures.
Regarding other concerns, in addition to the aforementioned possibility of sexually transmitted infection risk, you might want to ask your physician to check and see if your cervix has been shortened by so many biopsies. It is not necessarily the case but it can happen, even with only one biopsy, that your cervix becomes shorter. If this is the case, knowing in advance of a pregnancy is best -- you may be a candidate for a cerclage during pregnancy, in which a small suture (stitch) is actually placed to help your cervix remain closed.
© Tracy Morris
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