Cervix
The cervix is the lower end of the womb (uterus). It is at the top of the vagina. It is about 2.5 to 3.5 centimeters (1 to 1.3 inches) long. The cervical canal passes through the cervix. It allows blood from a menstrual period and a baby (fetus) to pass from the womb into the vagina. Sperm travel from the vagina up the cervical canal into the uterine cavity, then into the fallopian tubes to fertilize the egg.
Conditions that affect the cervix include:
- Cervical cancer
- Cervical infection
- Cervical inflammation
- Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or dysplasia
- Cervical polyps
- Cervical pregnancy
- Cervical incompetence in pregnancy
Cervical cancer screening involves a Pap smear and an HPV test. For both these tests, the cells are taken from the cervix. A Pap test checks for premalignant (precancerous) changes in the cervix, and the HPV test checks for infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) that may lead to cervical cancer.
References
Baggish MS. Anatomy of the cervix. In: Baggish MS, Karram MM, eds. Atlas of Pelvic Anatomy and Gynecologic Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 42.
Cervix. Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. 24th ed. F.A. Davis Company; 2021. www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/763678/all/cervix. Accessed December 17, 2024.
National Cancer Institute website. NCI dictionaries. Cervix. www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/cervix. Accessed January 7, 2025.
National Cancer Institute website. Cervical cancer screening. www.cancer.gov/types/cervical/screening. Updated February 13, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025.
