A colposcopy is an exam of the cervix, the vagina, or both. This exam uses an instrument called a colposcope . The vagina is the passageway to the uterus (womb). The uterus is where a baby grows during pregnancy. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus . A colposcope is a long, thin scope with a magnifier. It allows the doctor to see changes in cells that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Colposcopy can be used to diagnose:

• Genital warts
• Inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis)
• Precancerous changes in the tissue of the cervix
• Precancerous changes in the tissue of the vagina
• Precancerous changes of the vulva