How does HPV affect a pregnant woman and her baby?
Women who have HPV during pregnancy may worry that the HPV virus can harm their unborn child, but in most cases, it won't affect the developing baby. Nor does HPV infection -- which can manifest itself as genital warts or abnormal Pap smears -- usually change the way a woman is cared for during pregnancy.
What happens to the baby if the mother has HPV?
Will this affect my baby? It's not likely. Women who have or have had HPV — the human papilloma virus — have successful pregnancies and their babies are not harmed by their HPV infections. HPV is a very common sexually transmitted infection that affects millions of women and men around the world.
How can I protect my baby from HPV?
There is no way to prevent the transmission of HPV to your baby when you are pregnant, but the risk may be minimized if you have the infection under control and opt for cesarean delivery.
Can HPV be transmitted to a fetus?
Vertical transmission of HPV from mother to fetus is known to occur. Indeed, up to 80% of neonates born to women with genital HPV have HPV DNA detectable in their nasopharyneal aspirate or oral mucosa [10]–[12], and this may persist for months or years.
How long does it take for HPV to cause abnormal cells?
HPV-related cancers often take years to develop after getting an HPV infection. Cervical cancer usually develops over 10 or more years. There can be a long interval between being infected with HPV, the development of abnormal cells on the cervix and the development of cervical cancer.
What happens if high risk HPV doesn't go away?
In most cases (9 out of 10), HPV goes away on its own within two years without health problems. But when HPV does not go away, it can cause health problems like genital warts and cancer.
Can HPV be cured?
There is no cure for the virus (HPV) itself. There are treatments for the health problems that HPV can cause, such as genital warts, cervical changes, and cervical cancer.
Can HPV cross the placenta?
PRENATAL TRANSMISSION HPV DNA has been detected in amniotic fluid, placenta, and the umbilical cord (15). Both chorionic and placental tissue can be infected through the hematogenous route and hence, HPV can be spread to amniotic cells that are then ingested by the fetus (16).