Cervix, disorders of

The cervix is susceptible to injuries, infections, tumours, and other conditions. Minor injury to the cervix may occur during childbirth, particularly if labour is prolonged. Persistent damage to muscle fibres as a result of injury may lead to cervical incompetence. Cervical erosion is a condition in which mucus-secreting cells form on the outside of the cervix. The most common cervical infections are sexually transmitted, such as gonorrhoea, chlamydial infections, and trichomoniasis. Viral infections of the cervix include those due to the human papilloma virus and the herpes simplex virus (see warts, genital; herpes, genital). Polyps are noncancerous growths on the cervix. Cancerous growths (see cervix, cancer of) are preceded by changes in the surface cells (cervical dysplasias), which can be detected by a cervical smear test.