SPECTRUM OF CYTOLOGIC CHANGES IN PREGNANCY - A REVIEW OF 100 ABNORMALCERVICOVAGINAL SMEARS, WITH EMPHASIS ON DIAGNOSTIC PITFALLS

OBJECTIVE: To review pregnancy-related changes in cervicovaginal smear s and to distinguish them from neoplasia and dysplasia. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred consecutive abnormal cervicovaginal smears from pregnant w omen obtained during 1992-1993 were reviewed. Corresponding biopsies t hat were available were also reviewed for cytologic correlation. RESUL TS: Sixty-one percent of cases showed inflammation changes, 21% contai ned low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, and 9% had high grade s quamous intraepithelial lesion. Diagnostic problems were encountered w ith decidual cells, Arias-Stella reaction and trophoblastic cells. CON CLUSION: Both the clinician and pathologist must be aware of diagnosti c pitfalls and false positive diagnoses in pregnancy. Hence, it is ext remely important that the clinician notify the pathologist about the p regnancy status of the patient.