Once a woman finds out that she is pregnant, a whole new set of worries will invade her mind. "Will the child be healthy?" and "Can I handle labor?" are a few questions the expectant mother may think about. For someone who has HPV, also known as human papillomavirus, the questions regarding how this illness will affect the unborn child add another concern.
HPV is a virus that infects the mucous membranes and the epidermis layer of skin. This virus can produce genital warts and is also a cause of cervical cancer. According to BabyCenter.com, at least three-quarters of men and women will contract HPV during their lifetime.
When a pregnant woman is infected with HPV and has genital warts, she may have several complications. One complication is that the warts may become stretched due to the growth of her stomach, and may bleed. These open warts could become infected. They can also spread to other areas such as the inside of the vagina and also to her partner. If the warts appear near or in the birth canal, she may not be able to deliver her child vaginally. In this instance, a c-section may be required. She may also experience heavy discharge due to the chemical changes from HPV.
If a woman is infected with HPV but does not have genital warts, the virus is considered inactive and the chance of the virus affecting the pregnancy is rare.
The main concern is if HPV can be transmitted to the newborn during birth. If a child is born vaginally while the mother has genital warts, the baby runs the risk of contracting HPV. Although this is rare, it does occur in some pregnancies. The most common place for a baby to develop warts from HPV is in the throat and on the vocal cords. This is called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.
