HPV itself does not affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant, carry and give birth to a healthy child. But in the human body everything is interconnected, and one problem in most cases can lead to a number of others - the “domino principle” works. Therefore, in the case of a diagnosed human papillomavirus, it is recommended to regularly undergo immunological, gynecological and oncological examinations and treatment.
According to statistics, up to 30 percent of Russian women of reproductive age are exposed to the human papillomavirus (HPV). Therefore, it is important for every expectant mother to know how this virus can affect the ability to have children.
Victoria Viktorovna Zaletova, chief physician of the MAMA clinic:
Are warts dangerous for a pregnant woman and child?
Warts are benign skin growths caused by the human papillomavirus. 90% of the world's population are carriers of HPV, but the development of such visual manifestations as warts is usually associated with decreased immunity, endocrine disorders, or tissue trophic disorders. During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences enormous stress, which often becomes a trigger for the activation of the papilloma virus.
However, there is no need to panic ahead of time. Most warts localized on the arms, legs and face are not capable of harming the fetus or affecting its development. Such manifestations are unpleasant only from the point of view of causing discomfort to the pregnant woman. The only exception is genital warts (condylomas), which form in the vagina or on the mucous membrane of the cervix. Such manifestations can pose a danger both during pregnancy and during childbirth, when there is a possibility of infection of the child as it passes through the birth canal.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of condylomatosis in women, as a rule, does not cause any particular difficulties - the disease is detected during a routine gynecological examination. To differentiate condylomatosis from other neoplasms, the following laboratory research methods are used:
- Papanicolaou smear examination (PAP test);
- histological examination of tissue samples of condylomas (material is taken during colposcopy);
- molecular genetic diagnostics using PCR, ELISA and DIGENE test.
Condylomatosis does not go away on its own and requires mandatory treatment. Sometimes even the most minor body flaws make a woman unsure of herself, force her to hush up the problem, blush and feel embarrassed, instead of effectively solving it. Condylomatosis is not just unaesthetic warts on the genital mucosa. This is a serious infection that requires serious treatment.
Should warts be removed during pregnancy?
Most often, experts recommend postponing the removal of benign formations such as warts until the postpartum period, especially in cases where skin growths do not cause discomfort to the woman.
The situation is different with the already mentioned condylomas and multiple, rapidly growing defects. Genital warts may require a Pap test and biopsy to identify atypical cancer cells that indicate the transformation of a benign neoplasm into an oncological process.
If there is an increase in the formation of warts and their massive spread, the doctor may recommend removing the tumors, but such manipulation should be performed only after a pregnancy of more than 28 weeks, when the process of formation of the morphological organs and systems of the child’s body ends. You should be especially careful when taking antiviral drugs, which are often prescribed after the wart removal procedure. Pregnancy is not the time for experiments, and before using any medication, you should consult a specialist.
Treatment of condylomatosis at the Clinic of Modern Medicine
At the Clinic of Modern Medicine, you can undergo DNA diagnostics at any convenient time to identify different types of papillomavirus with varying degrees of oncogenic risk. Our specialists have developed a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment method for managing patients with condylomatosis and other formations of a viral nature, which has confirmed its effectiveness in practice.
In the treatment of condylomatosis, our specialists use only an individual approach, taking into account the characteristics of each patient’s body. The Clinic of Modern Medicine uses various methods for the treatment of condylomatosis, based on the use of immunomodeling therapy in combination with radiosurgical or laser removal of formations, which allows one to instantly and radically get rid of condylomas on an outpatient basis.
Our doctors approach the treatment of condylomatosis in a comprehensive manner, which allows us to avoid relapse of the disease in the future.
Our medical center provides the widest range of services. You can always contact us regarding the treatment of gynecological diseases. We are ready to provide you with] treatment of condylomas in women[/anchor] and treatment of mycoplasmosis.
Removing warts during pregnancy - recommendations
If removal of warts during pregnancy is the only option, in the process of choosing a technique you should adhere to the following rules:
- It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate;
- Traditional methods based on fresh celandine and the drug “Super celandine” can have a toxic effect on the body of a pregnant woman;
- You should not resort to the cryodestruction method;
- Do not use harsh chemicals to burn off warts, such as acetic acid;
- The method of removing a wart should not involve the use of anesthesia.
How do condylomas affect pregnancy?
Condylomas during pregnancy are a separate issue that concerns many expectant mothers.
Genital warts in pregnant women are an extremely unpleasant problem. However, having penetrated the body of the expectant mother, HPV does not have a clear negative effect on either the child or the woman. In any case, today not a single study has yet proven that condylomas in pregnant women have any effect on the course of pregnancy. What can really threaten a baby are anogenital condylomas (their cause is infection with virus types 6 and 11).
Not everyone knows that the papilloma virus is in the blood of most people. According to various researchers, from 70 to 95% of the Earth's inhabitants of reproductive age are infected with it, and most often it does not manifest itself in the body in any way, since the immune system successfully fights it. Today, about 100 different types of HPV are known, and only a third of them are sexually transmitted. Most types have virtually no symptoms.
During pregnancy, removal of genital warts is not recommended, since a burn is stressful for the skin, which can negatively affect the baby. Therefore, pregnancy occurring with HPV should be constantly monitored by a doctor. It is advisable to remove condylomas no earlier than the 28th week of pregnancy. By this time, the baby’s organs and vital systems are formed, and there is no threat of negative effects of medications on them.
However, in rare cases during pregnancy, papillomavirus can still affect the fetus. For example, if condylomas in pregnant women, located on the genitals, have penetrated the vagina, there is a risk that while passing through the birth canal, the baby will inhale a little earlier and with a sigh will receive the virus. Then unfortunate genital warts may appear on his vocal cords. Therefore, women who have condylomas during pregnancy are often advised to have a caesarean section.
But if there are no genital warts in the vagina, then the child will not become infected with the virus. In order not to weaken the immune system during pregnancy, a woman infected with HPV needs to take care of herself and improve her health. By the way, condylomas during pregnancy provoke an exacerbation of thrush.
It is worth saying that if doctors detect papillomavirus in women before pregnancy, then they are strongly recommended to first treat condylomas, and only then have a child. You won't have to wait for a long time. As a rule, the doctor gives the go-ahead for pregnancy in the next monthly cycle after HPV treatment.
It should be understood: no treatment can guarantee the final elimination of the virus and the absence of relapses. The main recommendations for preventing the disease boil down to strengthening the immune system.
Advantages of radio wave surgery using the Surgitron device
Doctors at the ProfMedLab clinic remove genital warts using the modern Surgitron radio wave surgery device. The principle of the method is that the device generates high frequency radio waves. Coming into contact with tissues, they evaporate liquid from cells, that is, they actually destroy them. Radio wave surgery has some advantages:
- Purposeful action. Only affected tissues are destroyed, while surrounding healthy tissues remain untouched. In this regard, radio wave surgery is a more gentle method compared to laser.
- Good cosmetic effect. After removal of tumors using the Surgitron apparatus, barely noticeable scars remain.
- Full control over the process. The surgeon can precisely control the area and depth of tissue removed.
- Bloodless intervention. There is no bleeding during genital wart removal.
- Fast recovery. The wound heals completely within a few days. There is virtually no pain or swelling.
Reasons for appearance
“What causes condylomas?” - a question that worries patients with a similar problem. The route of infection with condylomas is through unprotected sexual contact. Moreover, these include traditional intimate relationships, as well as oral, anal and homosexual relationships. Children get the disease from sick women while moving through the birth canal. Do not be negligent about household methods of infection. There is no need to take risks and use other people’s personal belongings, especially bath accessories (washcloth, towel, flip flops, etc.). Condylomas are activated under the influence of certain factors:
- indiscriminate unprotected sex;
- early onset of intimate relationships;
- sexual contacts with partners with condylomas or HPV carriers;
- decreased immune abilities of the body;
- previous diseases of the genital tract;
- frequent stress, vitamin deficiency;
- sloppiness and failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
The appearance of genital warts is often associated with HPV. Human papillomavirus infection poses a great danger for the development of cancer. Condylomas of this etiology are the object of study and treatment by doctors of different specializations: in women - by gynecologists, in men - by urologists. If the location of condylomas is in the anal area, then a proctologist leads the patients. You should definitely consult about genital warts, because the development of the disease can occur in a variety of ways - from self-healing to the degeneration of condylomas into malignant formations. The specialists of the Global Clinic Center have accumulated positive experience in solving such problems, so contacting the clinic is a prerequisite for successful treatment of the patient.
What consequences can condylomas lead to if they are not removed?
Condyloma is by no means a harmless neoplasm. The virus causes changes in cells that resemble those that occur in malignant tumors. Currently, the connection between human papillomavirus infection and cancer can be considered proven.
Genital warts often cause a host of other problems: they can become injured and bleed, ulcerate, and interfere with sexual intercourse and childbirth. In general, if growths in the form of warts are found in intimate places, it is better to immediately consult a doctor and have them removed.
Removing condylomas with liquid nitrogen
If a laser destroys condyloma by heating, then liquid nitrogen does this using low temperature. In the language of doctors, this is called cryosurgery. Compared to laser and radio wave surgery, it has a number of disadvantages:
- Usually a bubble remains at the intervention site, then it is opened, after which it takes about 2 more weeks to heal.
- It is more difficult to control the area of influence. Cold damages healthy tissue 1–2 cm around the condyloma.
- For 1–2 days after surgery, you experience quite severe pain.
