Treating genital condyloma during pregnancy with the carbon dioxide laser

The therapeutic effectiveness of the carbon dioxide laser was evaluated in 43 pregnant women with extensive urogenital and anal condylomas. All patients received one treatment and were followed up for an average of 9 months after delivery. Laser failures (persistent disease) and recurrences (new disease) were stratified according to the location of the lesions and the gestational age of the patients. The overall failure rate was 5%; 6% of the women with multiple sites involved had persistent disease but none of the lesions confined to the vulva persisted after laser treatment. The recurrence rate was 14%; 33% and 17% of the patients treated during the first and second trimesters, respectively, had recurrent disease irrespective of the areas involved. Recurrences were not observed in women treated during the third trimester of pregnancy. Laser vaporization of genital condylomas was not associated with perioperative or postoperative bleeding or infections. Laser therapy is an attractive means of treating urogenital and anal condylomas during pregnancy and is most effective near term.