A Large Exophytic Tumor of the Cervix Causing Vaginal Bleeding in Pregnancy: A Case Report

Vaginal bleeding in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy is usually due to placental causes, namely placental abruption and placenta previa. Other causes include uterine rupture, vasa previa, and hematologic disorders. However, benign or malignant lesions of the vagina and the cervix may also cause vaginal bleeding or spotting. Although cervical cancer in pregnancy is rare, about 8% of pregnant women have an abnormal Pap smear and 3% of the total cervical cancers are diagnosed during pregnancy. We report a case of a 20-week pregnant woman who presented with vaginal bleeding; a visual inspection revealed a large exophytic lesion of the cervix. The Pap smear demonstrated a low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. The differential diagnosis based on the findings of the colposcopy included invasive cervical carcinoma, warty lesions, and perishable lesion. A cesarean section and the removal of the cervical tumor were scheduled and carried out as planned at 37 weeks of gestation. The histologic examination showed extensive lesions of low-grade squamous intraepithelial cervical neoplasia (LSIL/CIN1). Despite the fact that exophytic tumors of the cervix are extremely rare, in women presenting with vaginal bleeding or spotting during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, the ultrasound scan must be followed by a visual inspection of the vagina and the cervix.