Thanks for your question! The thought of being pregnant and finding out you have HPV can be very scary for a woman not knowing how it can harm the baby. The truth is, though, that having HPV will not affect your baby nor will it affect treatment for you. It is important that your OB/GYN is aware that you have HPV in order for him or her to provide the best possible care.
"If a pregnant woman tests positive for the high-risk types of HPV associated with cervical cancer, the doctor will monitor her during the pregnancy to watch for cervical tissue changes.
In some pregnant women with HPV, the tissue changes may increase during pregnancy. If possible, doctors postpone treatment because it may lead to premature labor.
If a pregnant woman has genital warts, the doctor will monitor to see if the warts get larger. Hormone changes during pregnancy can cause the warts to multiply or get larger. Sometimes the warts will bleed.
Depending on the extent of the warts, the doctor may postpone treatment until after childbirth. But if the warts get so big that they might cause an obstruction in the vagina, they may need to be removed before childbirth.
Genital warts can be removed surgically, with chemical treatment, or with painless electric current.
HPV and Childbirth
The risk of HPV transmission to the baby during childbirth is very low. Even if babies do get the HPV virus, their bodies usually clear the virus on their own."
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Hi Kelly053,
Thanks for your question! The thought of being pregnant and finding out you have HPV can be very scary for a woman not knowing how it can harm the baby. The truth is, though, that having HPV will not affect your baby nor will it affect treatment for you. It is important that your OB/GYN is aware that you have HPV in order for him or her to provide the best possible care.
"If a pregnant woman tests positive for the high-risk types of HPV associated with cervical cancer, the doctor will monitor her during the pregnancy to watch for cervical tissue changes.
In some pregnant women with HPV, the tissue changes may increase during pregnancy. If possible, doctors postpone treatment because it may lead to premature labor.
If a pregnant woman has genital warts, the doctor will monitor to see if the warts get larger. Hormone changes during pregnancy can cause the warts to multiply or get larger. Sometimes the warts will bleed.
Depending on the extent of the warts, the doctor may postpone treatment until after childbirth. But if the warts get so big that they might cause an obstruction in the vagina, they may need to be removed before childbirth.
Genital warts can be removed surgically, with chemical treatment, or with painless electric current.
HPV and Childbirth
The risk of HPV transmission to the baby during childbirth is very low. Even if babies do get the HPV virus, their bodies usually clear the virus on their own."
http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/hpv-pregnancy
I hope this helps,
Rosa
October 6, 2011 - 6:11amThis Comment
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