<P> Several methods of contraception involve the cervix . Cervical diaphragms are reusable, firm - rimmed plastic devices inserted by a woman prior to intercourse that cover the cervix . Pressure against the walls of the vagina maintain the position of the diaphragm, and it acts as a physical barrier to prevent the entry of sperm into the uterus, preventing fertilisation . Cervical caps are a similar method, although they are smaller and adhere to the cervix by suction . Diaphragms and caps are often used in conjunction with spermicides . In one year, 12% of women using the diaphragm will undergo an unintended pregnancy, and with optimal use this falls to 6% . Efficacy rates are lower for the cap, with 18% of women undergoing an unintended pregnancy, and 10--13% with optimal use . Most types of progestogen - only pills are effective as a contraceptive because they thicken cervical mucus making it difficult for sperm to pass along the cervical canal . In addition, they may also sometimes prevent ovulation . In contrast, contraceptive pills that contain both oestrogen and progesterone, the combined oral contraceptive pills, work mainly by preventing ovulation . They also thicken cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus enhancing their effectiveness . </P> <P> In 2008, cervical cancer was the third-most common cancer in women worldwide, with rates varying geographically from less than one to more than 50 cases per 100,000 women . It is a leading cause of cancer - related death in poor countries, where delayed diagnosis leading to poor outcomes is common . The introduction of routine screening has resulted in fewer cases of (and deaths from) cervical cancer, however this has mainly taken place in developed countries . Most developing countries have limited or no screening, and 85% of the global burden occurring there . </P> <P> Cervical cancer nearly always involves human papillomavirus (HPV) infection . HPV is a virus with numerous strains, several of which predispose to precancerous changes in the cervical epithelium, particularly in the transformation zone, which is the most common area for cervical cancer to start . HPV vaccines, such as Gardasil and Cervarix, reduce the incidence of cervical cancer, by inoculating against the viral strains involved in cancer development . </P> <P> Potentially precancerous changes in the cervix can be detected by cervical screening, using methods including a Pap smear (also called a cervical smear), in which epithelial cells are scraped from the surface of the cervix and examined under a microscope . The colposcope, an instrument used to see a magnified view of the cervix, was invented in 1925 . The Pap smear was developed by Georgios Papanikolaou in 1928 . A LEEP procedure using a heated loop of platinum to excise a patch of cervical tissue was developed by Aurel Babes in 1927 . In some parts of the developed world including the UK, the Pap test has been superseded with liquid - based cytology . </P>

Inflammation of the cervix uteri (neck of the uterus)