An ablation system for treating abnormal epithelial tissue of a uterine cervix comprising: an ablation device comprising: a handle; a shaft coupled with the handle at a proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the shaft is sized to be accommodated within a vagina and is of sufficient length to reach the uterine cervix from a natural opening of the vagina; an operative head coupled with the shaft at a distal portion of the shaft, the operative head having a radial orientation that is fixed relative to the handle, the operative head having a support surface adapted to conformably engage at least a portion of the uterine cervix; a plurality of radio frequency electrodes (32, 33) on the support surface that are configured to deliver ablational energy to the tissue in a manner that controls the surface area and depth of ablation, and an energy generator in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes configured to receive energy from the energy generator, characterized in that the plurality of electrodes are arranged in zones that are served by independently operable channels, and in that the system is configured to deliver radio frequency energy through the radio frequency electrodes to the uterine cervix at a power density that ranges between 5 W/cm 2 and 150 W/cm 2. an ablation device comprising: a handle; a shaft coupled with the handle at a proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the shaft is sized to be accommodated within a vagina and is of sufficient length to reach the uterine cervix from a natural opening of the vagina; an operative head coupled with the shaft at a distal portion of the shaft, the operative head having a radial orientation that is fixed relative to the handle, the operative head having a support surface adapted to conformably engage at least a portion of the uterine cervix; a plurality of radio frequency electrodes (32, 33) on the support surface that are configured to deliver ablational energy to the tissue in a manner that controls the surface area and depth of ablation, and an energy generator in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes configured to receive energy from the energy generator, characterized in that the plurality of electrodes are arranged in zones that are served by independently operable channels, and in that the system is configured to deliver radio frequency energy through the radio frequency electrodes to the uterine cervix at a power density that ranges between 5 W/cm 2 and 150 W/cm 2. a handle; a shaft coupled with the handle at a proximal portion of the shaft, wherein the shaft is sized to be accommodated within a vagina and is of sufficient length to reach the uterine cervix from a natural opening of the vagina; an operative head coupled with the shaft at a distal portion of the shaft, the operative head having a radial orientation that is fixed relative to the handle, the operative head having a support surface adapted to conformably engage at least a portion of the uterine cervix; a plurality of radio frequency electrodes (32, 33) on the support surface that are configured to deliver ablational energy to the tissue in a manner that controls the surface area and depth of ablation, and an energy generator in electrical communication with the plurality of electrodes, the plurality of electrodes configured to receive energy from the energy generator,