Aim: Evaluation of incidence of HPV infection in pregnant women.
Materials and methods: Material consisted of 145 pregnant patients with a range age from 18 to 37, in 2nd or 3d trimester of pregnancy. The control-group included non-pregnant women, participants of preventive skinning programme against cervical cancer, as number and age structure as the study group. All patients had cervical specimens collected for cytological evaluation. Specimens for HPV testing were taken by Digene Sampler Cervical Kit--from cervix and posterior fornix. The presence of HPV DNA was detected with the Hybrid Capture II, dividing into 2 groups of high and low risk cancer associated types.
Results: DNA HPV was detected in 19 (13.1%) pregnant women treated in Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Oncology. In 14 (9.6%) non-pregnant women from control group the Hybrid Capture II test was positive. The difference in frequency of infection has not statistical significance (Chi 2 = 0.55 alpha = 0.05). Respectively in 11(7.6%) and 8(5.5%) patients from I group HPV of high and low risk cancer associated type were detected. In II group infection of viruses with high risk was detected in 8 (5.5%), and with low cancer risk in 6(4.1%) patients. As I group as II group the presence of DNA HPV was estimated in younger women.
Conclusions: The pregnancy does not seem to be independent factor that increases frequency of HPV infections. Despite of changes in hormonal balance and associated with pregnancy increase of immunity we have not found statistical significant differences between the study-group and control-group. There seem to be in connection with changes of sexual behaviour of pregnant women.