OBJECTIVETo study the cytopathologic characteristics of cervical diseases in pregnant women and the outcomes of the postpartum women to provide evidence for prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.

METHODSThis study was conducted among 2329 pregnant women undergoing routine gestational examinations between September, 2012 and September, 2013. The women with abnormal cytological findings by Thin-prep cytology test (TCT) were followed up and colposcopy and cervical biopsy were performed. The TCT results of these women were compared with those of 32 491 non-pregnant women in Zhongshan Cervical Cancer Mass Screening Program.

RESULTSOf the 2329 pregnant women, a total of 97 patients had abnormal TCT results (4.16%). Cervical biopsy were performed for 14 patients (14.43%), and 8 (57.14%) of them had evidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) or cancer on biopsy. In the 32491 non-pregnant women in the mass screening program, 1383 (4.26%) women had abnormal TCT results and cervical biopsy were performed for 248 patients (17.93%), among whom 148 (59.68%) had evidence of CIN or cancer on biopsy. The rate of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) was significantly higher in non-pregnant women than in pregnant women (P=0.033), but the total rate of cytological abnormalities were comparable between them (P=0.911). The patients with CIN had regular examinations during pregnancy and postpartum follow-up showed no invasive carcinoma.

CONCLUSIONPregnancy is not a risk factor to accelerate the progress of cervical lesions, and most of the cervical lesions are relieved or show no progression in the postpartum women, suggesting the feasibility of follow-up during pregnancy and postpartum reevaluation for patients with CIN in pregnancy.