[Human papillomavirus infection and pregnancy]

Abstract

There is growing evidence that HPV infection is possible through non-sexual routes like mother to-child transmission in the perinatal period. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has traditionally been regarded as a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but recent evidence implicates that an infected mother can transmit HPV to her newborn during pregnancy, at delivery, perinatal period or later. There is evidence of vertical transmission, presumably occurring during passage of the fetus through an infected birth canal. The virus could also be transmitted by ascending infection, principally after premature rupture of membranes. Elective cesarean delivery could not prevent transmission of the virus from HPV-positive mothers. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the generalization of cesarean section for all HPV DNA-positive mothers. The critical question is not how often infants are contaminated with HPV, but how often they are infected with HPV