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Human papillomavirus in the cervix and placenta
1Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy, Vienna University Hospital, Austria. wolfgang.eppel@univie.ac.at
Obstetrics and Gynecology
|August 29, 2000
Summary
A high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) was found in pregnant women
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Diseases
- Prenatal Diagnostics
Background:
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common sexually transmitted infection.
- Subclinical HPV infections in pregnant women may pose risks to fetal development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in pregnant women.
- To determine the association between HPV infection and placental involvement.
- To explore the link between HPV and fetal chromosomal abnormalities.
Main Methods:
- Cervical samples from 179 pregnant women were tested for HPV using hybrid capture II.
- Placental tissue from 147 women underwent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HPV DNA.
- Maternal age and ultrasound findings were considered in the analysis.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of cervical HPV infection was 24.6% in pregnant women.
- HPV prevalence decreased with increasing maternal age.
- No HPV DNA was detected in placental villus tissue, but low-risk HPV showed a link to chromosome aberrations.
Conclusions:
- Subclinical cervical HPV infections are common in pregnant women.
- There was no evidence of HPV transmission to the placenta from subclinical infections.
- Low-risk cervical HPV may be associated with a slightly increased risk of abnormal fetal karyotype.