Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus spread through intimate contact. There are actually more than 150 different strains of HPV, but only a few are linked to cervical and other cancers.
HPV testing is part of routine women’s health screenings and is part of your Pap testing at your well-woman exams. If your practitioner reaches out to let you know you’ve tested positive for HPV, it’s normal to feel anxious. The team at Philadelphia Women’s Health & Wellness is happy to share some information on what comes next.
Because HPV is a sexually transmitted disease, many women feel ashamed or embarrassed about receiving a positive test result. In reality, however, HPV is so common (and so easily spread) that the majority of women and men who are sexually active will contract the virus at one point or another.
There is no need to feel bad about having HPV. The virus is spread through simple skin-to-skin contact, so it’s challenging to prevent infection, even if you use condoms during every sexual interaction. Most people will have and clear the infection during their lifetime.
Usually, your body’s immune system clears the infection within a year or so. You might not ever know you had HPV. But learning about a positive test result can still be stressful, especially since certain strains are linked to genital warts, cervical cancer, or other cancers.
If our office contacts you to let you know you’ve tested positive for HPV, we’ll let you know what to do next. If your Pap smear test did not show signs of precancerous cell changes, you might not need to do anything now.
However, women who test positive for HPV should come in for more frequent screenings than those who have negative test results. Generally, you should come back to see us at least once every three years for testing.
Additional screening is needed if your Pap test showed signs of abnormal cervical cell changes. Your practitioner will discuss the right options for your circumstances and explain what to expect from the screening process.
At this time, there’s no cure for HPV. You simply have to wait for your body to fight off the infection. There is also no need for treatment if you aren’t showing signs of cancer or genital warts.
Some treatments can help with cancer, as well as therapies that can help manage genital warts. Let your practitioner know if you notice any changes in your gynecologic or overall health.
Most people will not experience any changes while they have an HPV infection. HPV can cause genital warts in men and, rarely, certain cancers. Also, both you and your partner can spread the virus to others if you have an active HPV infection. Therefore, you may want to discuss your results with your partner.
There’s a safe and effective vaccine that can prevent many HPV infections. While the vaccine doesn’t offer 100% protection, it can dramatically reduce your risk of contracting HPV.
That said, the vaccine does nothing to address a current infection. Ask your practitioner whether the vaccine is right for you. If you’re a parent, consider having your children (both male and female) vaccinated during early adolescence.
At Philadelphia Women’s Health & Wellness, we know hearing that you have HPV is not easy. But we’re here to guide you through the next steps and encourage you to stay calm as you navigate the process.
The vast majority of women who have HPV will not develop gynecologic cancer as a result, but you do need to adhere to a more frequent screening schedule to preserve your health. When you need to schedule a visit, just reach out online or by phone to check appointment availability.
