BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a public health issue, being one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Cervical cytology (Papanicolaou) is performed for screening and diagnosis of cervical lesions. In case of a suspicious cytology report, colposcopy is an essential procedure for evaluation of the lower genital tract, to detect early lesions and cancer. The aim of this study was to characterize the colposcopy procedures performed, as a diagnostic and therapeutic method, in patients with abnormal Papanicolaou results. METHODS: This is an observational, descriptive cross-sectional study, whose universe were all the patients with abnormal cytological diagnosis in pap smear, who underwent a colposcopy procedure between 2015 and 2019 at Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga, with a total of 1 628 patients. RESULTS: 1 628 colposcopic procedures were included. 55.46% of the population were between 27 to 46 years of age. The predominant marital status was married status (75%). 63.45% of women had their first sexual experience between 21 and 30 years of age. 95.20% of the patients had between 1 and 3 sexual partners. Abnormal pap smear results represent; 37.28% to LSIL, followed by ASC-US (35.81%), and HSIL (14.18%). 67.32% of colposcopies were classified as satisfactory. Biopsy was performed in 71% of the patients, followed by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) (13.69%), endocervical curettage in 11.05%. The pathology results reported HSIL in 46.56% of the cases, followed by 22.23% as LSIL and chronic cervicitis in 16.27%, 12.28% of the results were negative. CONCLUSION: Three-quarters of all colposcopies were performed on women between 27 and 56 years of age. The most frequently abnormal Pap smear results were: LSIL, followed ASC-US. 67% of the colposcopies were satisfactory. After colposcopy, biopsy was performed in most of the patients, in lower percentage: loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), endocervical curettage and diagnostic hysterectomy. Pathology results reported HSIL in 46.56%, LSIL IN 22.23% and chronic cervicitis in 16.27%; 12.28% of studies were negative.