Cervical conization in women of reproductive age from patient's perspective: how much do we know?

Background: Surgical procedures involving the female reproductive system signif-icantly influence the lives of women, particularly those within the reproductive age bracket. There exists a paucity of data regarding the personal distress associated with cervical conization among women of reproductive age. The objective of our investigation was to evaluate the effects of surgical intervention for cervical dysplasia in this demographic, with a specific focus on acute perioperative stress. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study, engaging in interviews with 135 patients during their postoperative follow-ups after cervical conization. Participants supplied sociodemographic and medical histories while completing Beck’s anxiety and depression inventories. Results: Among the 135 patients surveyed, 27 (20.0%) reported no stress related to the conization procedure. The most prevalent concern was the fear of disease progression into malignancy (observed in 39.3% of cases), succeeded by apprehension regarding potential fertility impairment (14.8%). In 25.93% of instances, women expressed stress related to additional factors, general anesthesia (16 patients), postoperative pain (10 patients), and perioperative complications (4 patients). The median anxiety score of 7.5 was found to be highest among women who expressed worries about future fertility, whereas the median depression score of 2 was the lowest in this same cohort. Conclusions: The results of our research indicate that fears surrounding disease progression and concerns regarding fertility impairment constitute significant perioperative anxieties for women of reproductive age. Further investigations into psychological stressors and the necessity for postoperative psychological support for women of reproductive age undergoing conization are warranted.

Cervical conization; Cervical dysplasia; Psychological stressors; Perioperative stress; Anxiety score; Stress related disease; Fertility impairment; Reproductive age

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