I recently had the LEEP procedure done. I was told I would have some discharge for up to a couple of weeks after the procedure, but its black? Should I be concerned?

Hello Wondering,

Glad to have you with us and I appreciate your questions.

The Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) involves using a thin wire loop through which an electrical current is briefly passed, making it a very precise cutting tool. The procedure is very common and is generally deemed effective: a prime advantage of LEEP is that if gives the clinician the ability to see the lesions(s) being removed and it yields a tissue sample which may be evaluated further.

The cervix is numbed prior to the procedure, and medicine is applied topically to minimize bleeding. Discomfort is usually described as little if any, although some do report feeling a mild pressure or cramping sensation.

Complication rates post-LEEP are usually very low according to most studies. It's not unusual for there to be bleeding or discharge afterwards; we encourage you to ask your health care provider what you may expect and what sorts of things they may want you to inform them about. The discharge can be black/brown due to medicine (Monsel's solution) applied to the cervix to reduce bleeding

Follow-up exams are typically scheduled 4 months after LEEP, and it's usually recommend not to do any heavy lifting or insert anything vaginally for several weeks afterwards (again, consult with your clinician as to specific recommendations for your case).

Hope this helps.

All the best,
Fredo

_________________
ASHA Moderator