Age 25 – IUD & Ectropion, most of cycle

This is the cervix of a 25 year old who has never been pregnant and has no history of STIs. After an abnormal pap smear eight years ago, she had a punch biopsy on her cervix. The results were negative for malignant cells, indicating inflammation and ectropion. Her HPV testing with hybrid capture came back negative. All of her pap exams since then have been normal. The red blotchiness around her os and the two spots above the os are the ectopy, where the mucous producing glandular cells that line the cervical canal have grown onto the outer surface of the cervix, which is usually epithelial cells.

She got a non-hormonal copper IUD (Paragard T380A) four years prior to this photo series and uses it as her main form of birth control since she is in a monogamous relationship with a man. You can see the IUD strings protruding from the cervix in the photos. The length of the strings changes slightly as the IUD moves a little within the uterus.  

Her cycles are somewhat regular, with an average cycle length of 27 days. She has been keeping track of her cycles for 10 years, using a smartphone app. She does not track basal body temperature, but does track cervical fluid, libido and other signs like acne, breast pain and cramps. This cycle was unusually long for her, at 33 days. Judging from the quality of her cervical fluid and the opening of the os, it looks like she may have ovulated around Day 22 and had an 11 day luteal phase.

Cervical self-exam has helped her get to know her body in a more intimate way, understand her anatomy, take charge of her health, and notice all the changes she goes through during her menstrual cycles.