PREGNANCY AND CERVICAL INFECTION WITH HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUSES

Objective: This investigation was undertaken to assess whether pregnan cy represents a risk factor for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection w hich is independent of age and other known HPV risk factors, Methods: One hundred eighty-nine women were enrolled from the outpatient clinic s of a large municipal hospital. The subjects completed a self-adminis tered questionnaire and underwent a gynecologic examination which incl uded a cervicovaginal lavage. Lavage samples were assessed for the pre sence of HPV DNA by restriction enzyme analysis and Southern blot hybr idization, Statistical significance was assessed by the chi(2)-test, L ogistic regression was used to assess the association between pregnanc y and HPV while controlling for the effect of other risk factors. Resu lts: The prevalence odds ratio (FOR) for the association of pregnancy and HPV infection was 2.2 (95% C.I. 1.1-4.5), The prevalence of HPV in creased with increasing gestational age (HPV prevalence of 18.9% among non-pregnant women vs. 27.3% in those in the first 12 weeks of pregna ncy and 39.7% in those who were past the 12th week of pregnancy). Alth ough statistical significance was not achieved in a multivariate model which controlled for age, race/ethnicity, education, age at first coi tus, number of sexual partners within the last year and parity, the FO R associated with the current pregnancy (FOR = 2.1) was not substantia lly changed by correcting for these risk factors, suggesting that thes e factors were not significant confounders of the association between pregnancy and HPV infection. Conclusion: Current pregnancy is associat ed with a modestly increased prevalence of cervical HPV infection. Thi s association appears to be independent of age and other major HPV ris k factors.