42M+iAn estimated 42 million Americans are infected with HPV types known to cause disease, including high-risk strains linked to cervical cancer and other cancers, and low-risk strains that cause anogenital warts.CDC, About HPV, 2024. cdc.gov/hpv/about
Americans infected with HPV types known to cause disease
13MiAbout 13 million Americans become newly infected with HPV each year, including teens. Most new infections are asymptomatic and go undetected, and a subset involve high-risk strains.CDC, About HPV, 2024. cdc.gov/hpv/about
New HPV infections per year, most asymptomatic and undetected
13.5KiThe American Cancer Society estimates 13,490 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the US in 2026, with approximately 4,200 deaths. Cervical cancer incidence and mortality have declined by more than 50% over the past three decades because of screening.American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts and Figures 2026. cancer.org
New cervical cancer cases estimated for 2026 (4,200 deaths)
90%+iThe WHO states that more than 90% of cervical cancers are caused by HPV and are considered largely preventable through early detection and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions.WHO, Cervical Cancer Fact Sheet, 2023. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cervical-cancer
Of cervical cancer cases preventable through screening and early detection
The Signal in the Published Data
This is not just a gynecologic issue.
It is a systems issue.
Current rate
7.7 new cases per 100,000 women per year, age-adjusted, based on 2018 to 2022 data per SEER. The rate has remained stable nationally over the past decade despite widespread screening programs.
Reproductive years
35 to 44 is the peak of reproductive life. Decisions about fertility, pregnancy, and family planning intersect directly with any excisional procedure performed on the cervix.
The systems question
Stress, hormonal changes, immune dysregulation, and micronutrient status are all documented in the research literature as factors in viral persistence. None of them are evaluated in a standard gynecologic appointment.
First, an important fact
What is the cervix
It is an organ.iThe cervix is classified as its own organ by multiple medical authorities. Cleveland Clinic: "Your cervix is a muscular, tunnel-like organ." IARC/NCBI: "The cervix is a fibromuscular organ." TeachMeAnatomy: "Although continuous with the uterus, the cervix is anatomically and histologically distinct and is therefore considered a separate structure."Cleveland Clinic, Cervix, 2026; IARC Technical Report No. 45, NCBI, 2017; TeachMeAnatomy, The Cervix, 2025
The cervix is a distinct fibromuscular organ connecting the uterus to the vagina. It is anatomically and histologically separate from the uterus. It produces cervical mucus essential for conception, forms a structural barrier protecting the uterus, and plays a direct role in pregnancy and childbirth. A LEEP procedure removes a portion of it.
What the System Offers
What a LEEP actually is.
LEEP stands for Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure. In clinical language it sounds precise and controlled. In practice, a woman lies awake on a table while a thin wire loop heated by electrical current is used to cut away a section of her cervix. She is not under general anesthesia. She receives local injections directly into the cervix to numb it. The injections themselves are painful.
When the electrical loop makes contact with tissue, it burns. The smell in the room is cauterized flesh. That is what it is. Many women who have had a LEEP have described the smell as one of the most disturbing parts of the experience. They are awake for all of it.
What is removed
- ◆Abnormal cervical cells in the transformation zone
- ◆Healthy cervical tissue removed as a margin around the abnormal areaiLEEP removes the transformation zone plus a margin of surrounding healthy tissue to ensure clear excision margins. The amount of healthy tissue removed varies by provider and indication.ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 140, 2022; ASCCP Management Guidelines, 2023
- ◆Cervical nerves, affecting sensation, sexual function, and the body's signaling in that areaiThe cervix has somatic sensory innervation and pain fibres. Cervical instrumentation is documented as painful with marked individual variation. Nerve involvement is an acknowledged aspect of excisional procedures.TeachMeAnatomy, The Cervix, 2025. teachmeanatomy.info; IARC Technical Report No. 45, 2017
- ◆Cervical glands that produce mucus necessary for conception and natural lubricationiThe endocervix contains hundreds of mucus-secreting crypts producing 20 to 60 mg of cervical mucus daily, increasing to 600 mg around ovulation. LEEP can reduce mucus production and is documented to increase risk of cervical stenosis.Wikipedia, Cervix (citing Hippocrates through contemporary sources); Kyrgiou et al., BMJ 2016
- ◆A portion of the structural integrity of the cervix itself, which multiple medical authorities classify as a distinct organiThe Cleveland Clinic describes the cervix as "a muscular, tunnel-like organ." The IARC (National Library of Medicine) describes it as "a fibromuscular organ." TeachMeAnatomy states: "Although continuous with the uterus, the cervix is anatomically and histologically distinct and is therefore considered a separate structure."Cleveland Clinic, Cervix, 2026; IARC Technical Report No. 45, NCBI, 2017; TeachMeAnatomy, The Cervix, 2025
What is not removed
- ◆The HPV virus itself, which persists in the body independent of the tissue excised
- ◆The surrounding vaginal and cervical canal tissue, where HPV can remain active
- ◆The immune environment that allowed the abnormal cells to develop in the first place
- ◆The risk of recurrence, which studies document at 5 to 30% within 12 to 24 monthsiRecurrence of CIN after LEEP excision has been documented at rates between 5 to 30% depending on margins, strain, and immune status. Persistent HPV infection is strongly associated with recurrence.Kyrgiou et al., BMJ 2016; ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 140, 2022
Awake
Patients are conscious throughout. Local anesthetic only, injected directly into the cervix
Burns
Electrical current cauterizes as it cuts. The smell of burning tissue is present throughout the procedure
Weeks
Recovery time with cramping, discharge, and restricted activity. Sexual activity and tampon use prohibited
Again
Recurrence rates are significant. Women return with abnormal results and undergo the procedure a second or third time
A LEEP removes the symptom.
It does not touch the cause.
The HPV virus remains in the body after the procedure. The immune factors present before the procedure remain unchanged after it. Published data associates persistent HPV infection following LEEP with recurrent abnormal cell development. Recurrence is a documented risk of addressing the cellular changes without investigating the underlying viral persistence.
Real message. Received during the making of this document.
"
You are the first and only person I feel seen by. About to have my 2nd LEEP with HPV that has progressed to a CIN3. It's such a struggle that I have felt like I'm on my own with.
Riley, Instagram DM, April 2026
What comes after a failed LEEP
1st LEEP
Abnormal cells return
›
2nd LEEP
Abnormal cells return
›
Cone Biopsy
More tissue removed
›
Hysterectomy
Cervix and uterus removed
At no point in this escalation path is the immune system evaluated. At no point is the virus addressed. Each procedure removes more tissue. The virus stays.
Following a hysterectomy, patients can still test HPV-positive and develop abnormal cells on surrounding local tissue, including the vaginal wall, as the virus persists in the body independent of the organs removed.
The Training Gap
The wrong specialist
for the real problem.
OBGYNs are surgical specialists. Their training is built around tissue observation, biopsy, and removal: colposcopy, LEEP, cone biopsy, hysterectomy. When an abnormal result appears, the system routes women toward the tools it has. Not the ones the problem may also require.
HPV persistence occurs when the immune system does not successfully clear the infection. The specialist responsible for managing HPV-related cervical changes is not typically trained in functional immunology, micronutrient assessment, or the systemic factors that published research associates with viral persistence.
What OBGYNs are trained to do
- ◆Perform Pap smears and colposcopies
- ◆Identify and grade abnormal cervical tissue
- ◆Perform LEEP, cone biopsy, and hysterectomy
- ◆Monitor and schedule follow-up screening
- ◆Prescribe antiviral or hormonal medications
What HPV persistence actually requires
- +NK cell activity and immune function assessment
- +Micronutrient panels including folate, B12, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D
- +Hormone and estrogen metabolism evaluation
- +GI map and gut microbiome assessment
- +Inflammation markers and root cause investigation
- +Antiviral immune support and targeted supplementation
are ordered in a standard OBGYN appointment
OBGYN residency training covers obstetrics, gynecologic surgery, and reproductive health. It does not include training in functional immunology, micronutrient testing, GI mapping, or the systemic factors that published research links to immune function and HPV clearance. The specialty treats the cellular manifestation. The systemic picture is outside its standard scope.
Standard guidance
Patients are told their immune system will typically clear the virus.
The immune system is not assessed during that appointment.
The Scale of the Procedure
Half a million per year.
Approximately 500,000 LEEP procedures are performed annually in the United States, per American Cancer Society data cited in peer-reviewed clinical literature. The procedures span reproductive-age women, and published data documents specific concern about LEEP in women under 25 because of pregnancy outcome risks.
The cascade is a system of surgical response to a viral condition. It removes tissue. It does not identify or address the reasons the immune system did not clear the virus.
500KiApproximately 500,000 LEEP procedures are performed annually in the United States, attributed to American Cancer Society data and cited in peer-reviewed clinical literature.Spracklen et al., citing American Cancer Society data, published in Obstet Gynecol Int, PMC, 2014
Estimated annual LEEPs in the US
The order-of-magnitude figure most commonly cited in clinical literature attributing the count to the American Cancer Society.
FlaggediPeer-reviewed clinical research has documented associations between LEEP and adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, and cervical stenosis. Cervical tissue removed during the procedure does not regenerate.Kyrgiou et al., BMJ 2016; Papoutsis et al., ASCCP/Wolters Kluwer, PMC, 2017
By research, for pregnancy outcomes
Published clinical research has flagged LEEP's association with preterm labor, cervical stenosis, and structural changes that do not reverse.
Under 25iACOG and ASCCP guidelines since 2012 have explicitly tried to minimize excisional cervical procedures in women under 25 because peer-reviewed literature documents higher rates of preterm labor and pregnancy complications in women who received LEEP before age 25.ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 140, 2022; Papoutsis et al., Impact of Age at Conization on Obstetrical Outcome, ASCCP/Wolters Kluwer, PMC, 2017
Age at which guidelines try to minimize LEEP
ACOG and ASCCP guidelines since 2012 have tried to minimize excisional procedures in women under 25 because of documented preterm labor risk in future pregnancies.
The Clinical Cascade
From infection to
surgical intervention
What the cascade shows
The top of the funnel is the total burden: 42 million Americans with disease-causing HPV, 13 million newly infected each year. The bottom of the funnel is the narrow set of cases that reach cancer, about 13,500 per year. Between those two points sits the clinical cascade that the standard medical system is built to manage: colposcopy, LEEP, and in some cases further excisional surgery.
What the cascade does not show
Most HPV infections clear on their own within two years, per CDC. The immune system is the mechanism that determines whether clearance happens. The cascade below counts the women whose bodies did not clear the virus and who then entered the procedural system. It does not count the systemic factors that contributed to why.
US figures. Sources: CDC About HPV, 2024; American Cancer Society Cancer Facts and Figures 2026; National Cancer Institute SEER Cancer Stat Facts, 2025; peer-reviewed clinical literature citing ACS for LEEP procedure volume.
The Intention
Open the doors the current
system keeps closed.
Atargatis exists to expand what happens between a diagnosis and a surgical recommendation. That space is where prevention lives. It is the space the standard of care does not currently fill.
More frequent testing.
Patients should not have to wait twelve months to know whether something has changed.
At-home testing covered by insurance.
Access should not depend on whether a patient can get to a clinic or afford to pay out of pocket.
Visibility of non-invasive options.
Patients should know what exists before they are scheduled for surgery.
Education for every person who tests positive.
Women and men alike. Anyone who receives an HPV-positive result deserves to understand what the virus is, what it does, and what resources are available to them.
Understanding the virus, not just the symptom.
HPV lives in the body. Cervical cells are one place it shows up. Care that addresses only the cells without addressing the virus is incomplete.
Functional and naturopathic support as a recognized path.
Not a replacement for conventional care. An additional door that patients deserve to know exists.
Prevention, expanded access, informed choice, and the right to explore every option before irreversible intervention. That is the standard of care Atargatis is building toward.
Data, insights, and patient conversations owned by ATARGATIS Women's Health
© ATARGATIS Women's Health, 2026