Self-examination - the basics

The cervix is the opening to the uterus. Through the cervix flows menstrual blood, our babies are born and terminations performed. By creating a barrier over the cervix pregnancy can be prevented to keep sperm out. When you ovulate your cervical mucous changes its consitency. Cervical mucous can be dry, sticky, creamy, or egg white consistency.


















By monitoring cervical mucous you can check your fertility signs, cervical mucous increases during ovulation and has the appearance of egg white. With the aid of a speculum, viewing your cervix can be easy. Self cervical exam is not a replacement for a smear performed by a health professional. A smear is a sample from the outside of the cervix (or neck of the womb) that allows detection of pre-cancerous abnormalities to be treated before cancer develops. Sometimes smears can be abnormal when no abnormality exists. In extremely rare cases smears may detect an abnormality in the presence of a cancer of the cervix. Smears may also be called 'cervical samples' as they are not smeared on slides any more but collected in fluid filled bottles.