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3rd Trimester
Exposed to HPV--34 wks pregnant.
Please don't be judgemental or snarky when you reply...just looking for someone who knows something about this.
My boyfriend (the father of my child) went to the doctor today because he noticed a discolored spot on his penis. The Doctor confirmed it was HPV-Genital Warts. I went through a standard HPV screening (along with the other 101 things they test you for when you go for your first prenatal visit) when I found out I was pregnant in July--and everything came back negative.
His appointment was this afternoon and I tried to catch my Doctor's office before they closed today to speak with a nurse. No luck....now I have to wait until Monday. 
Has anyone dealt with this issue while being pregnant and/or giving birth? I tried to look online, but did not find much information on it.
Will my doctor do another HPV screening on me? Does this mean I will be definitely having a C-section if the results come back positive?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Exposed to HPV--34 wks pregnant.
I remember seeing stuff in the What to Expect book so I just googled it online and hopefully this will help--it is from Baby Center (this is p.2 of 3 pgs, but I just copied the part about HPV & pregnancy)---
Can HPV affect my pregnancy?
HPV is unlikely to affect your pregnancy or your baby's health. If you have genital warts, they may grow faster during pregnancy, possibly from the extra vaginal discharge that provides the virus with a moist growing environment, hormonal changes, or changes in your immune system. In most cases, the warts won't pose any problems for you or your baby.
It's possible for you to pass the virus to your baby, but this doesn't happen very often. Even if your child does contract HPV, he's likely to overcome it on his own without any symptoms or problems.
In the unlikely event that your child gets the type of HPV that causes genital warts, he may develop warts on his vocal cords and other areas sometime in infancy or childhood. This condition, called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, is very serious, but fortunately it's also rare.
Will I be tested for HPV during pregnancy?
Moms-to-be are not routinely tested for HPV. Most women find out they have the virus if they develop warts or if they have an abnormal Pap smear.
One test can detect the most common types of high-risk HPV, and some practitioners do it in conjunction with a Pap smear on women age 30 and older.
However, you may have this test at any age in certain circumstances ? for example, if your Pap smear shows mildly abnormal changes and your practitioner needs to determine whether further follow-up is necessary. (Some practitioners ask the lab to automatically do HPV testing on the same specimen if the Pap is mildly abnormal.)
How is HPV managed during pregnancy?
There's no drug that can get rid of the virus. If you have warts, your practitioner may decide not to treat them during your pregnancy, because they often get better on their own or even disappear altogether after you give birth.
There are various treatments, however, that can be used to remove the warts safely during pregnancy.
If your practitioner decides removal is necessary, she may use a special acid solution, freeze them off with a liquid nitrogen solution, or remove them by laser, by electrocautery, or surgically.
Two prescription products that women apply themselves are used to treat genital warts, but they're generally not recommended during pregnancy. And don't ever try to treat genital warts with drugstore medications meant for common warts.
If your Pap smear is abnormal, your practitioner may examine your cervix and vagina with a special microscope in a procedure called colposcopy. (A colposcopy is no more uncomfortable than a Pap, though it takes longer.) If your doctor sees suspicious changes in your cells, she may take a biopsy of the tissue, which can cause some temporary discomfort and bleeding.
If there's no evidence of invasive cancer, your practitioner will most likely wait until after you give birth to further treat the abnormal cells. (Depending on your situation, the colposcopy may need to be repeated during your pregnancy.)
Your practitioner will follow up with another colposcopy about six to eight weeks after you give birth to see if the problem persists. In many cases, the abnormal changes go away on their own after delivery, making further interventions unnecessary.
HTH!
This
I have an abnormal pap almost every time, which indicates HPV though I've never had a confirmed diagnosis. Not sure what's up with that. At any rate, I asked extensive questions about HPV and pregnancy, and there's actually very little to worry about. You absolutely can deliver vaginally, so don't worry about that.
Also, your cervix is more at risk with HPV than anything. And even then, the risk is not NEARLY as high as Dr. Google makes it seem. Chances are you will be 100% perfectly fine and you'll just need to have annual paps done to make sure all is well. Most of the time it will be. Certainly ask them to re-run the tests if you're concerned. It's definitely good to know the state of your own health, especially given the new development. But try to breathe easy, okay? And be sure to ask your doc plenty of questions.
// I love you too. //
This. I had HPV several years ago, the same strain that they test for cervical cancer routinely. However, the last 4 yearly pap smears have come back negative for HPV. Your body CAN rid itself of HPV. So, even if you were exposed, it doesn't mean that you contracted it. I would continue getting testing done though, just to be safe.
As far as L&D go, this should not affect it at all, especially if you don't have any signs of warts and the test has been negative. I second making sure that your LO gets the eye cream.
I was told that I had HPV when I was 18 because I had a small bump and went in for it. Since then I haven't had anything ever and all of my doctors have said that HPV is so prevalent that most cases they are seeing clear up in 2-3 years. I remember thinking that my life was over because everything I read online said that there was no cure but it sounds pretty unlikely (from a doctor's standpoint) that I would have any issues again. Try not to freak out about it, remember it's SUPER common and if you get it you're not alone, and it sounds like it probably will not affect your baby or delivery. Still make sure to be open and honest with your practitioner so that everyone is on the same page.