In her early 20s, Kelsey of Soul Shine Birth went to her OBGYN for a routine Pap smear. Her results came back with HPV and abnormal cells. Having been led to believe she had impending cervical cancer, she did exactly what her OB advised: Get a LEEP (Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure) as soon as possible to remove any potentially harmful cells. For the next 6-9 months sex was painful and she regularly bled with intercourse.  

As it turned out, her abnormal cells were not cancerous and her HPV (human papillomavirus) spontaneously resolved, as it typically does in young women. Statistics show that 90% of HPV cases spontaneously resolve without intervention within two years. 

Today, Kelsey shares the story of her exhaustingly long labor, the remedies her midwife recommended to help cervical scar tissue dissolve, and how her mental preparations and birth altar supported her in achieving a vaginal birth despite 10 hours at nearly full dilation.  

This episode sheds light on the unnecessary and seemingly harmless interventions that young women are offered with their routine Pap smear that can have lasting and detrimental effects on the birth experience.

Watch the full video of today's episode on YouTube

If you enjoyed this episode, you can learn more by listening to episode #251 with Nathan Riley, MD.

#251 | HPV and Your Abnormal Pap May Not Be What You Think: Cervical Cancer Prevention with Nathan Riley

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Soul Shine Birth Website

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Watch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.