High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Infection in Pregnant Women: A Descriptive Analysis of Cohorts from Two Centers

Abstract

The aim was to descriptively analyze the clinical characteristics, cytopathology, and outcomes of pregnant patients with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Clinical data of 151,516 female patients with high-risk HPV infection were retrospectively collected. Baseline data, cervical cytology results, histopathology, HPV types, delivery mode, and follow-up outcomes were recorded for descriptive analysis. A total of 157 patients were identified as positive for high-risk HPV. There were 32 (24.2%), 6 (4.5%), and 107 (81.1%) cases of HPV-16, HPV-18, and other types, respectively. Additionally, 12 patients showed combined infection with HPV-18 or HPV-16 and other types. Cytopathological examinations showed that the most common type was low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL; 104 cases, 78.8%), followed by high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL; 17 cases, 12.8%), atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (10 cases, 9.6%), and cervical cancer (1 case, 0.7%). Thirty-seven patients underwent colposcopic biopsy, of whom 9 (24.3%) showed normal results, while 12 (32.4%) and 13 (35.1%) patients had LSIL and HSIL, respectively. χ2 tests demonstrated that different delivery modes did not show significant difference in patients’ cervical cytopathology (p>0.05). However, therapeutic methods were statistically different among patients with different cytopathological types (p<0.05). Cervical alterations in pregnancy mostly go along with high-risk HPV infection. High-risk HPV infection in pregnancy with abnormal cervical cytology should be followed closely during the pregnancy and postpartum period.