Multiple factors increase the risk of cervical dysplasia; they are not necessarily independent of one another (DiSaia):

• Onset of sexual activity at a young age
• Multiple sexual partners
• Increasing age
• Lower socioeconomic status
• Multiparity
• Promiscuity of the sexual partner, or "male factor"
• Sexual partner with penile cancer
• Tobacco
• HIV positivity (Click here for information about cervical dysplasia screening in HIV positive women.)
• Human papilloma virus (HPV) (Click here for information on when to test for HPV.)