Positive smear in pregnancy.

Of 8,500 consecutive cervical cytology tests in the antenatal period a positive or suspect result was found in about 1%. For the patients with a positive smear, examination under anaesthesia and small four-quadrant cervical biopsies are proposed as an alternative to antenatal conization, with its risk of subsequent haemorrhage or abortion.A waiting policy is safe and permits normal delivery in hospital. Clinical and cytological follow-up is a vital part of conization-excision therapy. For the suspect smear (dyskaryosis) follow-up tests may revert to normal, but others may become positive and demand biopsy.