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Role of cervical cancer screening during prenatal checkups for infectious diseases: A retrospective, descriptive
Yasuyo Maruyama1, Akiko Sukegawa1,2, Hiromi Yoshida3
1Obstetrics and Gynecology, Odawara Municipal Hospital, Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan.
Insights
Prenatal screening for cervical cytology is vital, especially in Japan, as few women undergo regular pre-pregnancy screening. This study highlights its crucial role in preventing cervical cancer during pregnancy.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Disease Screening
- Oncology
Background:
- Routine prenatal checkups offer opportunities for screening beyond infectious diseases.
- Cervical cancer prevention strategies are crucial for maternal health.
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a primary cause of cervical cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the status and role of cervical cytology screening during pregnancy.
- To evaluate the impact of HPV and other infections on cervical cytology results in pregnant women.
- To understand the prevalence of cervical abnormalities detected during prenatal care.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective examination of medical records from 2014-2017.
- Analysis of screening results for infectious diseases and cervical cancer in 3393 deliveries.
- Review of cervical cytology data for 2641 women during pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Only 18.8% of women had recent pre-pregnancy cervical cancer screening.
- During pregnancy, 3.0% of women (79/2641) showed abnormal cervical cytology results.
- Newly detected cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade ≥1 was found in 42 cases; no major adverse reactions reported.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal cervical cytology screening plays a significant role in cervical cancer prevention in Japan.
- Low rates of pre-pregnancy screening emphasize the importance of utilizing prenatal visits for cervical health assessment.
- Screening for infectious diseases and cervical abnormalities during pregnancy is recommended.
Objective:
This study was conducted to evaluate the status and role of cervical cytology affected by human papillomavirus infection and other infectious diseases screened during routine prenatal checkups.
Methods:
We retrospectively examined medical records containing the screening results for infectious diseases and cervical cancer in women who delivered neonates in our hospital from 2014 to 2017.
Results:
Among 3393 deliveries, 18.8% of women underwent a regular cervical cancer screening within 1 year of becoming pregnant, and 2641 women underwent a cervical cytology screening during this pregnancy. The cytological diagnostic results showed that 2562 women (97.0%) were negative for intraepithelial lesions or malignancy, whereas 79 (3.0%) had abnormal results. Of those with abnormal cytology results, 70 had abnormal cytology that was newly detected in this pregnancy, and 42 had grade ≥1 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions. Spatulas were the most frequently used cytological sampling instruments, followed by cotton swabs. Cervical cytology revealed no major adverse reactions during these pregnancies.
Conclusions:
Our results confirm the importance of screening for infectious diseases during pregnancy. Only 20% of the women underwent a regular pre-pregnancy cervical cytology screening. Cervical cytology screening during pregnancy may currently be playing a crucial role in preventing cervical cancer in Japan.
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