宫颈糜烂是过时的错误概念，国内的书本已经开始改了。其实根本不是我们想象的真的糜烂，而是宫颈口外部的鳞状上皮和宫颈内侧的柱状上皮的交界处在激素影响 下发生的位移，由于柱状上皮较薄，因此当柱状上皮显露较多的 时候就会露出下层血管，颜色发红。只是一个正常的生理现象，正常有月经 的女性都 会有。医学上甚至还发现在刚出生的小女婴当中也大约有1/3会出现“宫颈糜烂”，这其实就是母亲在怀孕时体内激素水平增高而影响到了女婴的子宫颈，出生离 开了母体以后，新生女婴的这种“糜烂”也就自行消退了。而绝经以后的女性也不存在宫颈糜烂。这充分说明了所谓宫颈糜烂是由激素引起的。现在更倾向于所谓的 “宫颈糜烂”不是病，而是正常生理现象。

2008年，最新的第七版五年制医学本科教科书《妇产科学》出版，在宫颈炎症一章中第一次采用了 新的概念，取消“宫颈糜烂”病名，以“宫颈柱状上皮异位” （columnar ectopy）生理现象取而代之。

Because of the raw-looking appearance when the inner lining of the cervical canal (columnar epithelium) comes out onto the part of the cervix that can be visualised with a speculum, this is called a cervical ectropion . It appears as a red, velvet-like area and it is this that is called a cervical ectropion .  Gynaecolgists now tend to use the term cervical ectopy, rather than cervical ectropion , to describe this condition. There is no 'cervical ectropion ' or ulceration - it is simply that the columnar epithelium is much thinner than the squamous epithelium and so the underlying blood vessels show through more clearly, making the area look red and raw.

Usually cervical ectopy causes no symptoms and needs no treatment. Sometimes it can cause a vaginal discharge or lead to slight bleeding after intercourse. If these symptoms are troublesome then a simple treatment either freezing (cryotherapy) or cauterising (diathermy) the cervical ectropion will stop the problem. These treatments can be usually be done quite painlessly as an out-patient. It is essential to ensure that there is no pre-malignant change in the cervix before destroying the surface. A pap smear and / or colposcopy may be indicated if there is postcoital bleeding.

It used to be thought that cervical ectropion could lead to cervical cancer but this is now known not to be true. Cervical ectropion is a completely benign condition and that does not lead to cancer.

如果没有分泌物异常或者xxoo出血的情况，而且每年pap smear检查正常，如果国内的医生再大惊小怪告诉你什么糜烂，你就告诉他们：要不然他们读的是老掉牙的书本，要不然就是想赚黑心钱。