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At Your Cervix
A Lifetime of Cervical Health
By Shel Franco
"Your cervix is so beautiful! It's purple. Do you want to see?" my midwife, Ann, asked with a smile.
See? How in the world could I see my cervix? I humored her and nodded my head.
Ann handed me a mirror, and she proceeded to coach me through the process of viewing my own cervix. It was ... interesting – a little bit more than I ever imagined knowing about my own body.
Cervical health is important and not just in pregnant women. Don't you think it's about time you learned a thing or two about your cervix?
According to Dr. Adelaide G. Nardone, OB/GYN and medical advisor to the Vagisil Women's Health Center (www.Vagisil.com), the cervix is part of the female reproductive system and is sometimes referred to as the "neck" of the uterus. "One of its functions is to provide an alkaline secretion favorable for sperm penetration," she says. "At the time of ovulation and or conception there are usually copious amounts of the 'sperm friendly' mucus at the cervix. It allows the sperm to 'swim' on up to the uterus and fallopian tubes so that they can meet up with the released egg."
If you looked at your non-pregnant cervix, it would probably resemble a rounded quarter. With a little effort, you might be able to see a hole or a slit in the middle. This is called the "os," and it is through this hole that sperm and menstrual fluid pass.
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