arrow-small-left Created with Sketch. arrow-small-right Created with Sketch. Carat Left arrow Created with Sketch. check Created with Sketch. circle carat down circle-down Created with Sketch. circle-up Created with Sketch. clock Created with Sketch. difficulty Created with Sketch. download Created with Sketch. email email Created with Sketch. facebook logo-facebook Created with Sketch. logo-instagram Created with Sketch. logo-linkedin Created with Sketch. linkround Created with Sketch. minus plus preptime Created with Sketch. print Created with Sketch. Created with Sketch. logo-soundcloud Created with Sketch. twitter logo-twitter Created with Sketch. logo-youtube Created with Sketch.

Polyps are growths of tissue in the body that look like small bumps. They are very common. While polyps are not usually cancerous, they can become cancerous over time.

Topics on this page

What are polyps?

Cervical polyps grow on the cervix (where the vagina connects to the uterus). They are usually harmless, but they can cause irregular vaginal bleeding. Cervical polyps vary in size and shape, but they are usually less than 3 cm in diameter.

Diagram showing the uterus, ovaries, cervix and vagina
Diagram of uterus, ovaries, cervix and vagina

Symptoms

Cervical polyps

Symptoms of cervical polyps can include:

  • bleeding in between periods
  • bleeding after sex
  • bleeding after menopause
  • abnormal vaginal discharge.

Uterine polyps

Symptoms of uterine polyps can include:

  • heavy periods
  • periods that can vary in length and heaviness
  • bleeding in between periods or after sex
  • bleeding after menopause
  • difficulty getting pregnant (infertility).

What are uterine (endometrial) polyps?

Uterine polyps grow in the uterus. They can occur at any age but are most common between the ages of 40 to 49. Uterine polyps vary in size and can be one growth or a group of growths.

Symptoms of polyps

Symptoms of cervical polyps can include:

  • bleeding in between periods
  • bleeding after sex
  • bleeding after menopause
  • abnormal vaginal discharge.

Symptoms of uterine polyps can include:

  • heavy periods
  • periods that vary in length and heaviness
  • bleeding in between periods or after sex
  • bleeding after menopause
  • difficulty getting pregnant (infertility).

Causes of polyps

We don’t know the exact cause of cervical polyps, but it may be associated with:

  • blocked blood vessels in the cervix
  • cervical infection
  • the body’s response to increased levels of oestrogen.

Uterine polyps are caused by an overgrowth of cells in the lining of the uterus. It’s thought that oestrogen plays a role in their growth. The risk of uterine polyps may increase if you are:

How are polyps diagnosed?

If you think you might have polyps, see your doctor. They will ask about your symptoms and medical history. They may also do a pelvic examination and a cervical screening test.

Most of the time cervical polyps are found during a routine cervical screening test.

If your doctor thinks you might have uterine polyps, they may recommend an ultrasound or hysteroscopy to confirm the diagnosis. A hysteroscopy is a thin telescope that shows the inside of your uterus.

Treatments for polyps

Cervical polyps are often removed during a pelvic examination (polypectomy) in your doctor’s clinic. This is usually a painless procedure. If a polyp is too large, you may have to have it removed in surgery, under general anaesthetic.

Your doctor may recommend hormone medicine for your symptoms. If polyps are making it hard for you to get pregnant, you may need surgery to remove them.

The polyps are usually checked after they have been removed to make sure they were not cancerous.

Can you prevent polyps?

You can’t prevent cervical or uterine polyps, but you can see your doctor for regular sexual health checks to find and treat polyps early.

When to see your doctor about polyps

Talk to your doctor if your symptoms, such as unusual or heavy bleeding, stop you from doing day-to-day activities.

This con­tent has been reviewed by a group of med­ical sub­ject mat­ter experts, in accor­dance with Jean Hailes pol­i­cy.

1
Alkilani YG, Apodaca-Ramos I. Cervical Polyps. PubMed. Published 2021
2
Mansour T, Chowdhury YS. Endometrial Polyp. PubMed. Published 2020
3
Nijkang NP, Anderson L, Markham R, Manconi F. Endometrial polyps: Pathogenesis, sequelae and treatment. SAGE Open Med. 2019;7:2050312119848247. Published 2019 May 2. doi:10.1177/2050312119848247
Last updated: 
30 June 2025
 | 
Last reviewed: 
20 June 2025

Related Resources

Related Topics