Many pregnant women who are diagnosed with HPV might feel anxious about whether the coexistence of HPV and pregnancy might affect the safety of their unborn child. They might worry about the risks and complications it can create during the pregnancy as well as delivery.
But research shows that in the majority of cases, the HPV virus never harms the developing fetus or creates complications in pregnancy or childbirth. However, it is important to monitor the mother’s condition from time to time to ensure safety.
What is HPV: How Does it Affect Pregnancy?
HPV infection is caused by the human papillomavirus, which is the most common sexually transmitted virus. There are over 200 different types of HPV, which are classified into low-risk strains and high-risk strains.
HPV is transmitted primarily through sexual activities, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex. But it can also be transmitted through non-sexual means, such as intimate or direct skin-to-skin contact or through environmental surfaces.
Although HPV infections are predominantly asymptomatic and are resolved on their own as the body’s immune system clears the virus away within one or two years, some of the low-risk strains might cause genital warts, which are the painless, flesh-colored, small bumps or cauliflower-like clusters. They might appear in and around your genitals or even in your mouth.
Genital Warts: During pregnancy, a woman’s hormone levels can change and fluctuate significantly. If genital warts were present, these hormone changes can fuel the growth of genital warts. They can multiply and grow more rapidly and bleed easily. Usually, doctors postpone the treatment for your genital warts until your delivery. However, if the growth of warts obstructs the birth canal, it might necessitate a cesarean section (C-section).
Cervical Changes: Although pregnancy itself won’t increase the chance of developing cervical cancer, routine monitoring of your HPV status and the health of your cervix will help prevent the development of abnormalities. Your doctor might recommend a Pap smear or HPV DNA test to check for any abnormalities or the presence of any high-risk HPV variant.
Rare Infant Complications: In rare instances, when the genital warts at the birth canal have become larger, the child can be exposed to the warts during a vaginal delivery, causing the transmission of the virus to the infant. However, most babies who get the infection from their mother clear the virus on their own without developing any long-term health problems.
This can lead to a very rare condition called Recurrent Respiratory Papillomatosis (RRP), in which warts grow in the infant’s airways, including the larynx and vocal cords. The warts will be removed through surgery.
Pregnancy Risks: Some research shows that sometimes the persistent, high-risk HPV infections might be linked to the slightly increased risk of complications such as preterm birth or intrauterine growth restriction, etc.
Treatment and Prevention of HPV During Pregnancy
If a patient has been on active HPV treatment, such as topical creams, freezing using liquid nitrogen, or surgical removal of warts, it is most often continued safely during pregnancy. However, harsh chemical therapies are strictly avoided during pregnancy. In such cases, the doctor will postpone the treatment until delivery.
The treatment methods for HPV during pregnancy include:
- Cryotherapy (Freezing the genital warts using liquid nitrogen)
- Laser Therapy (Burning and scraping away the genital warts using laser light.
- Electrocauterization (Burning the genital warts using a heated needle)
- Performing a surgery or small incision to remove the genital warts.
The HPV vaccine is highly effective in preventing the infection. But it is not recommended to initiate a vaccine series for pregnant women due to limited data on the risk elements.
Conclusion
Having an HPV infection while you are pregnant can be extremely worrisome. However, with awareness of what the risk factors are, how HPV affects your pregnancy, what risks and complications must be expected, and how the treatments will be, you can relax and prepare your mind.
The most important thing is to communicate with your doctor about all your worries. Your immune strength is very important for the body to fight against HPV infection. Keep your mind free of stress and maintain your well-being by following your doctor’s instructions for timely monitoring and follow-ups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is generally safe to become pregnant while you are infected with HPV. In most cases, the infection does not threaten your child’s safety or interfere with a safe delivery. Routine monitoring will significantly help ensure safety during this situation.
Yes, if you have existing HPV-related symptoms like genital warts, it can worsen significantly during pregnancy due to the hormonal changes, causing it to grow faster, multiply, and bleed easily. It can even obstruct the birth canal in some cases.
Research says that HPV alone doesn’t usually cause miscarriages. However, according to some studies, chronic inflammation of the cervix or embryonic cell abnormalities transferred by infected sperm can increase the risk of miscarriage.
HPV typically does not cause any complications during delivery. But in some cases, due to hormonal changes, the genital warts may multiply, grow rapidly, or bleed easily. Large warts can sometimes block the birth canal or cause heavy bleeding.
