Atlas of visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid for screening, triage, and assessment for treatment / Activity 1

The congenital transformation zone (CTZ) is a variant of intrauterine squamous metaplasia in which there is excessive maturation of the superficial layers of the squamous epithelium and incomplete maturation of the deeper layers. This is a deviation from the normal metaplastic process in utero and does not have any neoplastic potential. The condition is seen in 3–5% of young women who undergo VIA. No treatment is required, and these changes disappear with age. After application of acetic acid to the cervix, the CTZ appears as a large oblong (lozenge-shaped) thin acetowhite area. The white patch often extends from the anterior fornix to the posterior fornix of the vagina.

The next section discusses the genesis of cervical cancer.