High Risk Hpv with abnormal Pap semar

I had recieved a call from my doc saying that my Pap test had came back abnormal. She also imformed that I was at high rish for HPV. I am so devestaed and and am really hurt to hear that. I wanted to know a little more information about this. I go next week for a biopsy and Im frightend about the procedure. The things I would like to know is do I have HPV. Will I be able to carry a child full term, will it effect my fertility. I recently had a miscarriage in Nov of 09 and now Im worried was this the cause of it. Im only 21 and would love children and I am so scared.

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
I'm glad to hear that you are young.  MOST ( 90%) of young women will clear up HPV on their own without any major treatment.  It is a virus, so at present is not "curable", but the vast majority of people have been exposed to it, and most don't show any evidence of it because their immune system keeps it suppressed and controlled.
The only way HPV can really harm you is if you ignore it.
If you follow your doctor's instructions and continue with good surveillance ( PAPs etc)
you should be fine.  It DOES NOT affect fertility or pregnancy.  It DOES NOT mean that you are at higher risk for preterm deliveries or C sections.
It CAN be communicated to partners, and CAN flare up at any time, even many years later, so you must always be good about getting your check ups.
Most of the time the colposcopy and biopsies aren't too bad--they are crampy and uncomfortable, but usually quick.  Sometimes further treatment will be necessary such as a LEEP procedure--but cross that bridge when you get there.
I hope this helps!
Good luck!
Dr B

[clt63]

Don't be too concerned.  Know that approximately 80% of sexually active women between 18 and 35 will at some point be exposed to HPV.  High risk subtypes are those which have a higher likelihood of causing cellular changes which potentially could lead to cervical cancer.  BUT, keep in mind that this is still very rare, and that you have a roughly 90+% chance that at your age, this virus will be cleared by your own immune system.  This does not mean you should ignore it, and follow up with the colposcopy and biopsies is still very important.  In the vast majority of cases, no treatment will be necessary.  For the future, this should not impact pregnancy.  If you smoke, please quit as this will inhibit your body's ability to clear the virus.  You may also want to consider receiving Gardisil, the HPV vaccine.  This will not impact current HPV status, but should protect you in the future if you are exposed to the virus again.

[Ashbash6788]

I have taken the gardsil shot when I was 19 I had all 3 shots, so I'm curious how this could have happened. So should I not try to get pregnant ? Me and my husband are currently trying again and I would love to enjoy pregnnacy. Does that mean I can't ecver try to have kids of my own. And I don't smoke at all.

[montana0173]

They only thing I can say to you is that you have to be your own advocate. Keep researching and go to another Dr if you have to. I went thru the same thing as you. I ended up going to 3 dif Dr. and doing alot of research on my own before I got the answers I wanted to hear. I spent 12 years listening to the same statements as the one that was posted by "clt 63" earlier. It's almost like they spit those words out of a book. 80% here, 90% there.....Statistic don't really matter when it's happening to you.  I was blessed with a healthy daughter, but unfortunately I was the one to get cervical cancer. I had to have a hysterectomy at 32. Good luck and keep pushing for answers..

[clt63]

Yes, it is still possible to test positive for HPV even though you had the vaccine.  A positive test means there are HPV DNA detected, but doesn't say anything about the activity or effects the HPV is having on the cervical cells.  I don't know what the actual pap result revealed?  Again, this should not impact the ability for you to have a normal pregnancy.  

[xxminniexx]

ok i have just went through the same thing! I had the biopsy colosocopy and cryosurgey. If yours is that bad u will probably have LEEP surgery where u are put to sleep as an outpatient and the cells are cut and burned off. I had cryo where they freeze. It freezea the bad cells and a new layer of ur cervix grows back. I was so scared i did so much research i pretty much know everything. The stuff online says it hurts soooooooo bad and honestly it really doesnt ive had the biopsy twice and didnt hurt AT ALL.