Jun 19, 2009
Human Papilloma Virus And Pregnancy
In the majority of cases where infected females are pregnant, the HPV virus does no harm to the unborn. However, it is important that the expecting woman and her consulting obstetrician know if HPV is present, as there are some preventative measures that should be taken.
Regular pap smears can most often detect an abnormality, and the doctor can then advise the mother during future checks. The pap smear test would be conducted as a routine measure during the first prenatal visit and further tests would then be recommended. A doctor may even carry out a thorough cervix examination by colposcopy.
Another scenario of the human papilloma virus and pregnancy is in which the expectant mother is already infected with HPV. There is no established link between human papilloma virus and fetal-relations such as miscarriages, premature delivery or transmission of HPV to the baby. The reason for caution is during pregnancy the hormonal changes within the female can accelerate the growth of any warts or cause them to bleed. The warts may need to be surgically removed prior to childbirth.
As already mentioned, the risk of transmission of the HPV to a baby is very low. Nevertheless, presuming that the virus does reach the baby, the mother would be glad to know that their baby has the immune system to fend-off or clear the virus.
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