HPV prevalence in pregnant women at term with normal pap-smears: risk factors

We set out to estimate Human Papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence and some risk factors in pregnant women at term. The latent infection may take part in HPV transmission during pregnancy. There is not much data about varied factors which could probably influence the HPV infection. It was important to determine the role of such factors as age, parity, use of contraception, the number of sexual partners in prevalence of HPV in pregnant women with normal cervical cytology. The prevalence of HPV was investigated by polymerase chain reaction method. Final analyze included 74 pregnants with normal cytology without clinical signs of HPV infection. Human Papillomavirus was found in 26 (35.14%) of 74 patients. Slightly higher values of the HPV prevalence were determined only in the samples of women younger than 26 years old, with more than one partner and use of contraception. Significant differences were not found. Conclusion: sexual manners as risk factors may take part in HPV prevalence in young pregnant women at term.