Colposcopy is a way of looking at the cervix through a special magnifying device called a colposcope. It shines a light onto the vagina and cervix. A colposcope can enlarge the normal view by 2-60 times. This exam allows the doctor to find problems that cannot be seen by the eye alone.

Colposcopy is done when a Pap test result shows abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix.