HPV and pregnancy: what to expect

How does HPV affect pregnancy?

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that 85% of people will get at some point in their lives - and almost every sexually active person who doesn't get the HPV vaccine¹. Most of the time, it's harmless, causes no symptoms, and clears up on its own.

Yet, 14 out of 150 HPV strains are considered high risk. With these types, you may develop genital warts and abnormal cells may form in your cervix. While these HPV cervix infections can clear up, around 1 in 10 women who have them will develop long-lasting infections that increase their chances of cervical cancer². Although less common, high-risk HPV can also lead to other forms of cancer - and are responsible for 5% of cancers globally³.

For all women and people with a cervix, pregnant or not, attending regular cervical screening (smear) tests is the best way to detect HPV. While there's no cure, if you're pregnant when a test shows you have HPV, tell your doctor so they can monitor the infection.

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HPV and pregnancy aren't an unusual mix, but you may be worried about what this means for the health of your baby. We answer your frequently asked questions.

HPV and pregnancy - what to do

There is no blood test for HPV during pregnancy, but you may find out you have HPV following a routine cervical screening test. In the UK, all women and people with a cervix over 25 are encouraged to have a cervical screening every three years. By taking a swab of your cervical cells, this test first identifies if HPV is present. If it is, you'll then be swabbed for abnormal cells.

1. If you are pregnant and a past test has detected abnormal cells, you may need to have another cervical screening while pregnant, usually performed in weeks 13-26.

2. If the presence of abnormal cervical cells is confirmed - called a positive result - during your pregnancy, tell your doctor. Also let the doctor know if you have ever had any surgery on your cervix.

3. A positive result doesn't mean you have cervical cancer, but your chances of developing it are slightly higher. For this reason, your doctor will monitor these cells throughout your pregnancy.

4. In some cases, your doctor may detect cervical tissue changes. Doctors will try and postpone treatment until after you've given birth, as it can increase the chances of premature birth.

5. If you have genital warts in and around your vagina, the doctor will also monitor these. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can cause these to grow, multiply, or sometimes bleed.

6. Genital warts may be treated during pregnancy, but your doctor may recommend waiting until after childbirth, unless they are likely to make childbirth more difficult.

Further reading

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Reasons to get HPV vaccine.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Basic information about HPV and cancer.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cancers associated with human papillomavirus (HPV).

4. Condrat et al: Maternal HPV infection: effects on pregnancy outcome.

5. Popescu et al: Maternal HPV infection and the estimated risks for adverse pregnancy outcomes—a systematic review.

6. Trottier et al: Human papillomavirus (HPV) perinatal transmission and risk of HPV persistence among children: design, methods and preliminary results of the HERITAGE study.