The human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. It is spread by skin-to-skin contact and its effects are of different severity, depending on the virulence of the virus. In its most aggressive stage, it can cause uterine cancer and, in fact, it is the main cause of this condition and the fourth cause of death among women between the ages of 15 and 44 in our country.
However, there is not one human papillomavirus, but rather many viruses, or, as explained by Dr. Isabel Vielsa from Eva Clinics, many subtypes of the virus, which are more or less dangerous to health.
Is HPV a problem for pregnancy?
If detected early, HPV is not a problem per se for pregnancy, an issue that worries and is asked a lot in gynecology consultations.
The key is early detection, so it is very important not to skip any regular check-ups. When the virus is discovered in a cytology, the subtype and its aggressiveness can be determined by a specific test, called the Pap test.
Do you have to wait to treat HPV to get pregnant?
The answer is yes . First of all, you have to treat the problem. For genital warts there are different topical solutions, ranging from the application of chemical products, to elimination with cryotherapy (cold) through the use of lasers.
When the virus has come to infect the cells of the cervix, the recommended procedure is cervical conization, that is, a simple intervention to eliminate these cells. The laser is also the instrument and it is about cleaning the area of precancerous lesions, removing the affected part of the uterus.
When can I get pregnant after treatment?
If pregnancy is sought, it will be necessary to wait for a first review that confirms that, indeed, the operation has left the cervix without a trace of the virus. If the tests confirm it, you can go ahead with the project of being a mother.
Does it pose any problem for pregnancy?
Depending on the result of the operation, it may be more or less difficult to carry it out.
In the words of the Eva Clinics expert: “When the virus has caused an injury and it is necessary to end up carrying out some small intervention in the cervix such as a cervical conization, then these patients may have a slightly shorter cervix and at long may have a risk of premature delivery, because that cervix may be less competent for pregnancy.
The greatest risk that has been observed in pregnancy after papillomavirus infection is prematurity. The possibility that the baby is born prematurely is a factor that experts also take into account when the virus is detected when the woman is already pregnant.
At this point, there seems to be a consensus on the need to wait until the baby is born to carry out any treatment.
Is the baby infected during pregnancy?
It is necessary to clarify, in order to reassure future mothers, that the fetus is not infected with the virus intrauterine and the risk of doing so during childbirth is very low. If it did, the normal thing is that its own defenses will finish off the infection. Isabel Vielsa clarifies that congenital or inherent alterations as a result of passing through the birth canal have not been described.
Can pregnant women be vaccinated against HPV?
It is not recommended to vaccinate pregnant women against HPV.
Can HPV hinder assisted reproduction treatment?
The response from EVA Clinics is that it is not a parameter that is taken into account when starting one of these treatments. If it is detected in the initial cytology that the patient is asked for, it is treated exactly the same as before seeking natural management.
However, some factors must be taken into account. According to a study by the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital in Granada, published by Elsevier, after a canonization, and between 1.3 and 17% of cases, “cervical stenosis or iatrogenic deformations of the cervical canal can make it difficult to introduce the catheter to perform intrauterine inseminations and embryo transfer, even making them impossible.”
How to prevent HPV?
We end with a call for prevention, which begins with the use of condoms, continues with gynecological examinations and ends with vaccination. In this sense, Dr. Vielsa recalls that the latest update of the vaccine includes nine types of virus and that it can already be given to boys and girls.
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