As it grows, cervical cancer might cause signs and symptoms, such as:

• Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause.
• Menstrual bleeding that is heavier and lasts longer than usual.
• Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor.
• Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with a doctor or other health care professional if you have any symptoms that worry you.

Risk factors

Risk factors for cervical cancer include:

• Smoking tobacco- Smoking increases the risk of cervical cancer. When HPV infections happen in people who smoke, the infections tend to last longer and are less likely to go away. HPV causes most cervical cancers.
• Increasing number of sexual partners -The greater your number of sexual partners, and the greater your partner's number of sexual partners, the greater your chance of getting HPV.
• Early sexual activity - Having sex at an early age increases your risk of HPV.
• Other sexually transmitted infections - Having other sexually transmitted infections, also called STIs, increases the risk of HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer. Other STIs that increase the risk include herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.
• A weakened immune system - You may be more likely to develop cervical cancer if your immune system is weakened by another health condition and you have HPV.
• Exposure to miscarriage prevention medicine - If your parent took a medicine called diethylstilbestrol, also known as DES, while pregnant, your risk of cervical cancer might be increased. This medicine was used in the 1950s to prevent miscarriage. It's linked to a type of cervical cancer called clear cell adenocarcinoma.