A. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the virus that causes genital warts. And to give you an estimate of the size of the virtual epidemic out there, approximately 24 million people in the USA have HPV infection.
The quick answer to your question is no, we know of no real danger in delivering a baby through a passageway known to be infected with HPV. There are some reports of babies developing laryngeal warts (in the back of their throats), but we do not stop women from having normal, vaginal deliveries because of HPV. As for precautions, well, lets back up a bit.
Genital warts may appear on both men and women. In men we usually see them on the penis, near the anus, or between the penis and the scrotum. In women, warts may grow on the vulva, near the anus, in the vagina, or on the cervix.
HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, transmitted by direct contact. So the usual rules about prevention apply here: abstinence, monogamous relationship with a partner who is not infected, or condoms are the only ways to prevent getting infected. But don't be fooled!! A condom will NOT protect you if you have sexual contact with a person with warts around their anus!! ( No condom I know of covers this area.). The other trick is that HPV can have a long incubation period. That means that it may take months to years for a person who is infected to actually develop the warts. But they're still able to pass on HPV.
A trip to the family doc will help you diagnose any suspicious lesions you're worried about. We can remove the warts, but to date we cannot eradicate the virus. Unfortunately, that means the warts may return, and another course of treatment may be necessary. Treatments can be as easy as applying a medication to the warts, or as fancy as cryotherapy (freezing) and laser treatments.
As for pregnancy, we DO treat pregnant women. If the warts are on her cervix, however, we will wait until after the baby is born for treatment. So in your case, if you notice any new warts, let someone know. But don't let it stop you from having a normal, safe, hopefully healthy delivery!
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