Hpv can it affect pregnancy

My husband does not use a condom. Some women in a monogamous relationship reported they or their husbands are reluctant to use a condom. A few women over 40 who had no pregnancy intention mentioned concerns about early menopause. Testing positive for high-risk HPV genotypes and abnormal cytology have made these participants fearful of premature ovarian insufficiency. I've tested positive for HPV I feel that my periods get missed and irregular due to this disease. Could this virus cause me to menopause?

I'm worried I'm in menopause. I don't like to get there. Another stated: "I had a hysterectomy last year because of fibroids and heavy periods. They hadn't removed my ovaries. One of the most common concerns of women tested positive for HPV was cervical cancer that has described in a different manuscript as the psychological response to HPV diagnosis.

A context-specific finding that seems specific to societies that adhere to cultural principles was fear of cervical cancer in virgin single women. Since vaginal virginity is a matter of prestige in most parts of Iran, they reported engaging in sexual intercourse without vaginal penetration. Two virgin women have expressed concern about cervical cancer following an ascending HPV infection from the perineum to the cervix. After getting genital warts and learning about HPV-related cancers, they were worried about cervical cancer.

One revealed that:. I was scared. My gynecologist performed so-called Girly Pap smear. She took a cotton swab sample from the end of the vagina for HPV typing and cytology.

Few women were anxious about the possible association between HPV and history of cancer in their female family members. I wonder her cancer was associated with HPV. We both have HPV. I'm scared what if it's a familial thing, and then I might get cancer too. The present study aimed to shed some light on the reproductive concerns of women infected with HPV and found they have reproductive concerns and informational needs over the effects of HPV infections on male and female fertility potential, the success of ART techniques including IVF and IUI , fetal and newborn health, mother health and pregnancy outcomes.

Our participants had questions and worries about the presence of HPV in the semen and the impact of HPV infection upon male fertility. Our findings highlighted reproductive concerns in more details as mentioned above. Interestingly, the two participants who expressed the most concern over infertility were diagnosed with HPV We believe more research should be conducted on the relationship between HPV and infertility.

Health care providers need to take these concerns seriously and consider referring women to specialized level. Fertility fears about the HPV-vaccination among women diagnosed with HPV have been reported in a qualitative study [ 17 ].

Our participants expressed their fear of losing fertility after getting HPV vaccine. It can be due to considerable media attention to the safety of the HPV vaccine. In the present study, the participants feared that the accidental injection of the HPV vaccine during pregnancy would cause adverse pregnancy outcomes or harm to the fetus. Women should be informed by healthcare providers that although pregnancy testing is not necessary before the vaccination, the vaccine manufacturers and WHO recommend avoiding HPV vaccination during pregnancy.

In cases of unintentional immunization of pregnant women, no intervention is needed [ 36 , 37 ]. In agreement with other studies, our participants mentioned fertility concerns about conservative treatment for CIN like LEEP and conization [ 22 , 24 , 34 ]. Research has yielded mixed results, but one study indicates that fertility is not affected by a LEEP [ 38 ]. Pregnancy concerns were the second category extracted from the interview data.

Women mentioned that worrying about the adverse effects of pregnancy on their health was the main reason they decided not to get pregnant.

In a mixed-method study conducted in the United States, 30 of 94 women who planned on getting pregnant indicated that their HPV test results would change their future pregnancy plans [ 39 ].

Women infected with HPV needed to know what they need to do to have a healthy pregnancy. They may also face barriers seeking and obtaining information to address their reproductive concerns [ 36 ]. In line with our findings, two studies also indicated concerns about the association between HPV infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes such as spontaneous abortion and preterm delivery [ 22 , 34 ]. In conjunction with Pourmohsen's study, maternal-to-fetal HPV transmission was a common concern, especially among married who had the pregnancy plans.

Women interviewed thought natural childbirth may pose a transmission risk to a newborn. Another qualitative study reported this concern [ 22 ]. Although there is still controversy about adverse effect of HPV on pregnancy outcomes, women may worry about these issues and physicians need to address these concerns. Most participants reported being highly concerned about the safety of wart-removing medications and diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for cervical cell changes during pregnancy.

They asked about the safest way to remove GWs. In a study, CO2 laser vaporization has been suggested as a safe, simple treatment for warts during pregnancy [ 40 ]. Almost all interviewed women had been recommended to use a condom.

Most married reported that they or their husbands are reluctant to use a condom. They wanted to know why constantly using condoms is essential while they already are HPV-infected. Caregivers should also explain why they recommend using a condom. Some women with a history of taking hormonal contraceptives pointed out they have been recommended to stop taking combined hormonal pills. HPV-positive women raise some concerns about choosing their contraceptive method.

Although, to conclude causality between COCs and HPV lesions, more studies are needed [ 16 ], particular attention should be given to discuss contraception methods with HPV-positive women. Such richness from the interviews revealed unexpected concerns such as fear of having an ovarian tumor and getting cancer because of a family history of cancer.

They considered HPV to be a familial carcinogen factor. Similar concerns indicated by another study [ 41 ]. The only context-specific finding was the fear of cervical cancer in single virgin women.

Communities define 'virginity' in the different ways. In our society intact hymen determines someone's virginity. To reassure these women, doctors take a so-called "Girly Pap smear" from the upper part of the vagina with a cotton swab. Our findings revealed misconceptions regarding the relationship between non-penetrative sex and STIs among single women. These women still followed up with the gynecologist but did not have a proper pap-smear and hence may miss out on the opportunity of being diagnosed properly.

In previous studies, the reproductive concerns of HPV-positive people had been discussed as a part of emotional and psychological responses to HPV diagnosis. Our findings are noteworthy because as far as we are aware, this is the only qualitative study in which reproductive concerns of HPV-positive women have received particular attention. Furthermore, women with diversity in HPV genotypes both high-risk and low-risk were interviewed.

As queries about sexual health were part of the interview content, they will be discussed in another manuscript entitled "Sexual life of HPV-positive women. However, this referral clinic is likely to reflect other clinics in Iran since it covers a varied population.

Possibly women who were interested in the topic decided to participate, and it applies to all qualitative research. Unlike previous studies that women with genital warts are often excluded, a subset of our participants was HPV-positive women who had GWs.

It is worth noting that these women may have additional concerns that must not be overlooked. Moreover, the relative weight or importance of themes and categories is not always apparent. The credibility of the process is demonstrated in the sentiments stated in the data set, suggesting that the extracted concerns may be transferrable to other settings. An additional strength is that this paper complies with the COREQ checklist designed for the reporting of qualitative studies [ 42 ].

The findings of this qualitative study suggest HPV-positive women's concerns about the possible effect of HPV on male and female fertility, pregnancy outcomes, mother and child health, breastfeeding and contraceptive methods. Most of these concerns were based on actual proven correlations and should be addressed. These concerns need to be taken into account when Health care providers are counseling HPV-positive women. Medical professionals need to take women's informational needs more seriously to become one step closer to helping these women improve their reproductive health.

Moreover, health care providers could benefit from additional training to be prepared to mitigate HPV-positive women's reproductive concerns. Women need to have better informational resources about these sensitive topics so that they can make informed decisions about having children. Some women may also benefit from referral to a specialist in the context of assisted reproduction. Centre IIHI. Iran: human papillomavirus and related cancers, fact sheet. Human papillomavirus and infertility.

Human papillomavirus infection and fertility alteration: a systematic review. The risk of human papillomavirus infection for male fertility abnormality: a meta-analysis. Asian J Androl. HPV infection in semen: results from a new molecular approach. Epidemiol Infect. Transmission of carcinogenic human papillomavirus types from mother to child: a meta-analysis of published studies. Eur J Cancer Prev. PubMed Article Google Scholar.

High-risk human papillomavirus infection in female and subsequent risk of infertility: a population-based cohort study. Fertil Steril. Zacharis K, Messini CI. First, know that between five and 10 percent of women who get yearly Paps will have abnormal results at some point.

Sometimes, this is just because of a hard-to-read sample or because of another condition like a recent yeast infection that makes the results unclear. Even having sex, douching, or getting tested during or soon after your period can sometimes throw off results.

In these cases, your doctor would likely just repeat the test. If you have an abnormal Pap and test positive for HPV, your doctor will likely perform a colposcopy to learn more about the severity of the changes in your cervix. This procedure involves using a telescope-like tool to examine the cervix and to remove a small sample of cells to be biopsied in lab. From there, your doctor will have a better understanding of what kind of treatment, if any, you'll need.

Thankfully, having an abnormal Pap smear doesn't necessarily mean you'll get cervical cancer. Here's some perspective:. Treatment depends on a few things, including your age and the severity of the changes. With mild cases, most doctors adopt a wait-and-see approach with more frequent Pap smears and colposcopies to make sure your body's healing and not getting worse.

Women with more serious cases have the following options to consider:. The HPV virus alone shouldn't have a huge impact on fertility. Although one study found that IVF patients who screened positive for HPV were less likely to become pregnant than those who tested negative, it's not exactly clear why. Researchers speculate that an embryo may have a harder time implanting in a woman whose immune system is unable to clear the virus — but bear in mind that the vast majority of people with HPV fight it off shortly after contracting it.

However, being treated for precancerous cells may slightly raise your risk for problems conceiving. Procedures like cryotherapy, LEEP, and cone biopsy may narrow the cervix and change the consistency of your cervical mucus , both of which can slow sperm down and make it harder for them to reach and fertilize your egg. Even so, your overall risk of experiencing infertility is very low, says Dr.

HPV infections in heterosexual couples: Mechanisms and covariates of virus transmission. Acta Cytologica 63 2 : McQuillan G et al. Department of Health and Human Services. Join now to personalize. Photo credit: iStock. What is HPV? But in some cases you'll see these symptoms: Genital warts Occasionally, one of the more than 40 strains of genital HPV may cause you to develop genital warts. Cell changes If you have one of the so-called "high-risk strains" of HPV, it may cause more serious cell changes.

Will I be tested for HPV during pregnancy? Treatment for HPV and genital warts in pregnancy There's no drug that can get rid of the virus. Preventing HPV while pregnant You can reduce your chances of getting HPV by having sex only with a partner who has sex only with you and does not have any obvious warts. Learn more: Infections that can affect your pregnancy Herpes during pregnancy Is it safe to take antibiotics during pregnancy? Bacterial vaginosis BV during pregnancy.

Sources BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. Featured video. STIs during pregnancy. Will having HPV affect my chances of getting pregnant? Herpes and pregnancy.

Gonorrhea during pregnancy. Chlamydia during pregnancy. Syphilis in pregnancy. New to BabyCenter? Join now. Password Forgot your password? Keep me logged in. Log in. Get the BabyCenter app. Download now. Infection with the human papillomavirus HPV can cause warts, and some types of the virus can increase the risk of cancer. Learn more here. What to know about HPV and fertility.

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Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. What are the best ways to increase sperm count?