HPV question

[ocean2000]

I have a question about HPV. My girlfriend and I got tested for most STD’s today. During dinner she told me her doctor said she had a “change” in her cervix and needed to be monitored for cancer. She said her doctor said it may be from a virus but she doesn’t know what virus, I assume HPV. I asked her if she had warts and she was very surprised and said she never had warts and her doctor never said anything about warts. She has not had sex for at least 8 months. Questions: 1. Is it safe to have sex with this partner if I always use a condom.  2. Is it possible or likely she is no longer contagious. 3. How is HPV transmitted if not transmitted by warts. 4. Is it likely I get warts from this person

[mayflowers]

What your gf has is the high risk HPV which can lead to abnormal paps in women and can also lead to cancer in women, though this is not as common.

She doesn't have the low risk HPV which causes warts so you can't get warts from what she has now.

A condom could help but it's really not 100% effective against HPV.  This is one of the reasons HPV is so common.  

There are abt 100 HPV's and abt 30 are sexually transmitted.  The regular garden variety causes warts on hands, feet, etc. and are not sexually transmitted.

If she just got an abnormal pap, then she has an active case of HPV and if you have sex with her now, you will get it too, unless you already have it which is likely if you have slept with 3 or more people.  You should avoid sex until her dr takes care of the abnormal cells.

Almost all sexually active people will be exposed to HPV during their life, it's unavoidable really, unless you are both virgins.

Dr. Handfield on the STD dr's forum has answered this question lots of time.  Do a search and read some of his answers.  You'll get so much information.

[gracefromHHP]

If all my gyn could tell me was that I had a "change" in my cervix - I'd be camping out in his office until I get better answers that that. Your gf needs to give her doctor a call and ask specific questions like - what changes exactly are going on.  Get specific names for what is going on ( ie cervical dysplasia- mild or moderate etc ).  Also she needs to ask if she's been tested for hpv on her cervix at all. If so what were the results.  If she's under 26 she should also ask about the hpv vaccine while she's on the subject.  I'd refrain from sex until you both have more answers than you seem to have now.  Perhaps your gf is just over simplifying what she was told, perhaps her doctor did that to her. It's hard to tell at this point.  Write down your questions, call her doctor and get the answers you need to make an educated decision about when to start being sexually active. Also when is her next follow up pap?  She should be followed about every 6 months or so.  

Let's assume that she has had some cervical cells changes that are consistant with a hpv infection just to make this simplest.  If so - the types of hpv that usually infect the cervix in women are not the same types usually associated with external genital warts.  Should you contract hpv from her - chances are high that you'd never know it.  If it's low risk hpv she has - most cases of it clear on their own from the body within 2 years. Even most high risk hpv infections go away on their own in time.  There is terrific info on hpv at www.ashastd.org under the hpv section. Be sure to visit their message boards and read the anchored posts in the hpv forum too.  Also the gardasil website has good info too.

One study showed that if the condom was applied when the clothes came off - it reduced the risk of infection with hpv by 90%.  Definitely something to keep in mind when you two have more answers for all of this.  

grace

[MizzTeardrop]

k one more questions since i have hpv wat does it do to da male is it da same as female or i dnt get it how does it affect a male