- How to treat HPV in pregnancy
- How is delivery in case of HPV
- Risks of HPV in pregnancy
- Signs of HPV improvement
HPV in pregnancy, a sexually transmitted disease caused by the human papillomavirus, can lead to an increase in the number and size of warts in the genital region due to hormonal changes, low immunity and increased vascularity in the region, which are typical of pregnancy.
Although it is uncommon for the baby to be infected with the mother's HPV, when the baby is infected, the baby may have warts on the oral region, eyes, larynx and genital region.
How to treat HPV in pregnancy
The treatment of HPV in pregnancy, generally, must be done until the 34th week of gestation for complete warts to heal before delivery, through:
- Application of trichloroacetic acid: serves to dissolve warts and should be done once a week, for 4 weeks; Electrocauterization: uses an electric current to remove isolated warts on the skin and, therefore, is done under local anesthesia; Cryotherapy: application of cold to freeze warts with liquid nitrogen, causing the lesion to fall within a few days.
These treatments can cause pain, which is generally tolerated, and must be done in the gynecologist's office, and the pregnant woman can return home without special care.
How is delivery in case of HPV
Normally, HPV is not a contraindication for normal childbirth, but when genital warts are very large, caesarean section or surgery to remove the warts may be indicated.
Although there is a risk that the mother will transmit the HPV virus to the baby during delivery, it is not common for the baby to become infected. However, when the baby becomes infected, he may have warts on his mouth, throat, eyes or genital area.
Risks of HPV in pregnancy
The risks of HPV in pregnancy are related to the fact that the mother can transmit the virus to the baby during delivery. However, this is not common and even if the baby contracts HPV at the time of delivery, in most cases, he does not get to manifest the disease.
However, when the baby is infected, he can develop warts in the oral, genital, ocular and laryngeal regions, which must be properly treated.
After the baby is born, it is advised that the woman be reexamined to check for the existence or not of the HPV virus and to continue treatment, if necessary. It is also important for women to know that postpartum HPV treatment does not prevent breastfeeding, as it does not pass into breast milk.
Signs of HPV improvement
The signs of improvement in HPV in pregnancy are the decrease in the size and number of warts, while the signs of worsening are the increase in the number of warts, their size and the affected regions, and it is recommended to consult the doctor to adjust the treatment.
Understand better and in a simple way what it is and how to treat this disease by watching the following video:
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