A vaginal speculum is a metal or plastic device used during a pelvic exam. It is inserted into the vagina to open up and hold apart the sides, which allows the examiner to see the opening to the uterus (cervix).
A speculum is often used to collect samples of cervical cells for a Pap test (a screening test for cervical cancer). The health professional may also use a speculum to collect tissue samples from and examine the inside of the vagina.
|Primary Medical Reviewer||Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine|
|Specialist Medical Reviewer||Femi Olatunbosun, MB, FRCSC - Obstetrics and Gynecology|
|Last Revised||February 22, 2013|
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise