Finding out you have HPV (human papillomavirus) during pregnancy can be worrying. Many people immediately wonder whether the virus could harm their baby or affect the pregnancy.

The good news is that for most pregnant women it causes no problems at all. HPV is very common, and most pregnant people with HPV have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

Understanding what HPV is – and what it isn't – can help reassure you and make sure you know when you may need extra monitoring through your pregnancy.

What is HPV?

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted viral infection in the world. Most sexually active adults will catch HPV at some point, often without ever knowing because usually it causes no symptoms.

There are many types of HPV. Some can cause genital warts, while high-risk types including HPV 16 and 18 can cause changes to the cells of the cervix. If left untreated for many years, these can sometimes develop into cancer.

How common is HPV during pregnancy?

HPV during pregnancy is common.

Studies suggest that around 10–30% of pregnant women test positive for HPV. Among women under 30, the figure may be as high as 30–40%. High-risk HPV types are found in approximately 5–15% of pregnant women.

Does HPV affect pregnancy?

For the vast majority of women, the answer is no.

HPV usually causes no symptoms during pregnancy and does not interfere with your baby’s growth or development. Most women with HPV have completely normal pregnancies and healthy deliveries.

Can HPV harm my baby during pregnancy?

In most cases, no. Current evidence shows that HPV does not affect a baby’s development and babies born to mothers with HPV are usually completely healthy.

Can you pass HPV to your baby during pregnancy?

HPV can occasionally be passed from mother to baby during childbirth, but this is rare.

Even when this happens, most babies never develop any health problems. As the risk is so low, HPV infection is not usually a reason to have a Caesarean section. This is only recommended in unusual circumstances, such as when large genital warts block the birth canal. We will explain how HPV can be passed to newborns during childbirth in the next article.

Does HPV cause miscarriage or premature birth?

Researchers have investigated whether HPV might increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, or waters breaking too early). Some studies have found a possible link, while others have not.

Some studies have reported slightly higher rates of pregnancy complications in women who test positive for HPV, while others have found no increased risk. Overall, the evidence remains mixed.

There is no clear evidence that HPV directly causes these complications and HPV alone is not considered a major threat to an otherwise healthy pregnancy.

For most women, having HPV does not change how their pregnancy is managed.

What happens if high-risk HPV causes cervical cell changes?

Sometimes high-risk HPV causes changes to the cells of the cervix. These are known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The most significant changes are classified as CIN2 or CIN3.

Outside pregnancy, doctors usually remove these abnormal cells using procedures such as:

• Loop Electrosurgical Excision Procedure (LEEP) – a thin heated wire removes the abnormal tissue.
  
• Cold Knife Conization (CKC) – a surgeon removes a cone-shaped piece of cervical tissue using a scalpel.

During pregnancy, however, these procedures are usually postponed because they slightly increase the risk of miscarriage and premature birth.

The good news is that the risk of CIN2 or CIN3 developing into cervical cancer during the course of a pregnancy is very low. Instead of immediate treatment, doctors usually recommend careful monitoring, often with repeat examinations every few months. If treatment is still needed, it can usually be carried out safely after the baby is born.

Should I be worried about HPV while pregnant?

If you are pregnant and have been told you have HPV, there is usually no reason to feel anxious.

Most HPV infections clear naturally over time, and most pregnancies proceed without any HPV- related complications. Your healthcare team may recommend some regular monitoring if higher grade changed cells are found in your cervix.

Conclusion

HPV during pregnancy is common, and in most cases it has little or no impact on the health of the mother or baby. While researchers continue to study possible links between HPV and pregnancy complications, there is no clear evidence that HPV causes miscarriage, premature birth or problems with a baby’s development except in very rare cases.

If high-risk HPV has caused cervical cell changes such as CIN2 or CIN3, treatment can usually be delayed safely until after delivery while your healthcare team monitors you closely.

For most expecting parents, the message is reassuring: an HPV diagnosis during pregnancy is common, manageable, and very rarely changes the course of a healthy pregnancy.