Does human papillomavirus infection do harm to in-vitro fertilization outcomes and subsequent pregnancy outcomes?

Some studies suggested that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection could reduce the clinical pregnancy rate and double the spontaneous abortion rate compared with non-infected women after in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET). But some other studies showed there was no difference between HPV infected and non-infected groups of ART outcomes. The role of HPV infection in infertile women undergoing IVF treatments has been a controversial issue which this article attempts to investigate.

This is a retrospective analysis of 3880 infertile women undergoing IVF treatment at Peking University Third hospital reproductive medical center in 2008. Patients with abnormal thin-layer preparation cytologic test (TCT) results who underwent fresh cycle embryo transfer were divided into an HPV positive group (n = 56) and an HPV negative group (n = 56). The clinical parameters were compared (using Student's t-test and chi-squared test). Univariate and multivariate analyses were taken to see if HPV infection affects the clinical pregnancy rate.

Of the 3880 cases 157 had TCT abnormality (4.0%). Of the 149 patients who had HPV test results, 112 women (81.2%) received a fresh cycle embryo transfer. Each group had 56 cases. The patients were of similar age and BMI, basic hormone levels, and infertile factors were similar. The gonadotropin use, oocyte retrieval number, clinical pregnancy rate, abortion rate and newborn condition were all similar between groups. Analyses showed neither HPV infection nor HPV hybrid capture (HC) II results affected clinical pregnancy rate after IVF treatments, but the FSH level did.

HPV positivity did not appear to impact assisted reproductive technology (ART) success. "Extensive treatment" for HPV before IVF was not recommended because treatment time will increase age and reduce ovarian function, which will lead to inferior IVF outcomes.