Papillomas during pregnancy: causes and consequences

1. What are papillomas during pregnancy
2. Main causes
3. Consequences and danger
4. Is it possible to remove papillomas from a pregnant woman?

Papillomas during pregnancy are small epidermal formations of a natural skin tone that appear due to various reasons, mainly due to physiological changes taking place in the body of the expectant mother. Moreover, they may appear for the first time, and the number of existing formations may also increase. Typically, these benign growths do not require urgent removal during pregnancy.

What are papillomas during pregnancy?

Photo of papillomas in a pregnant woman

The epidermis of a pregnant woman quickly responds to the physiological changes that take place in the body of the expectant mother. Thus, skin color may change, unusual pigmentation, spider veins, and stretch marks may appear. During pregnancy, the papilloma virus can also become active. 85% of pregnant women infected with HPV develop skin tumors.

Papillomas during pregnancy have the same appearance as those of the average carrier. These are small flesh-colored skin growths on a thin stalk.

Most often, in expectant mothers, these formations appear in the breasts, neck, armpits, face, and groin area. However, most papillomas during pregnancy are concentrated in the breast area - growths can appear anywhere, right down to the internal ducts of the mammary gland.

Let's look at the main areas where they appear:

1. On the chest. It is formed on the skin and looks like a small oval or spherical growth on a thin stalk. Has a soft "body". Usually the tumor is not painful. May be uncomfortable when wearing tight underwear.
2. Under the mammary glands. Such papillomas look like numerous small papules. They can also be injured by underwear and spread to healthy areas of the epidermis.
3. On the nipples. Soft light formations with a rough surface. May appear on the nipple or areola. Such growths not only cause discomfort when wearing bras, but also complicate breastfeeding.
4. Inside the mammary duct. Such papillomas are difficult to identify during pregnancy because they are hidden inside the breast. These formations are detected upon palpation. They often cause burning, pain, and discharge from the nipple. A final diagnosis can only be made during an ultrasound.

If papillomas have previously bothered a woman, then with hormonal changes in the body they may become darker or increase in number and size. This is not evidence of their malignancy. Such changes are within normal limits.

The main causes of papillomas during pregnancy

Scientists still cannot determine why papillomas appear during pregnancy. However, there are several factors that can activate the papillomavirus:

1. Hormonal fluctuations. The amount of certain hormones in the body increases, and a complete restructuring of the body occurs under their influence. This may affect the activity of the virus. This process cannot be avoided, so you should accept it and wait for the normalization of hormonal levels after childbirth.
2. Weight gain. HPV is activated in overweight and obesity. In the 2-3 trimester of pregnancy, a woman begins to gain weight faster, so it is logical that papillomas begin to form.
3. Skin friction. Formations most often appear in those places where the body is in close contact with the fabric of clothing, rubbing and injury to the epidermis occurs. As body weight increases during pregnancy, many things become tighter and the pressure of the tissue on the skin increases. Papillomas may appear in these places.
4. Weakening of the immune system. This is the main reason for the appearance of papillomas in pregnant women. Vitamin deficiencies, fatigue, hypothermia, and physical stress contribute to the deterioration of the body's overall immune response.

In addition, the human papillomavirus during pregnancy can be activated if the expectant mother is sick diabetes mellitus. The latter disease often accompanies the appearance of papillomas.

Consequences and danger of papillomas during pregnancy

In the vast majority of cases, the presence of a virus in a woman’s blood and the appearance of papillomas during pregnancy does not pose a threat to the development of the baby and delivery.

The attending physician should be notified of any neoplasms during pregnancy. He will recommend getting tested for HPV and will monitor the progress of the pregnancy. Also, the gynecologist or obstetrician will hold an explanatory conversation with the expectant mother about the causes and consequences of papillomas during pregnancy.

Despite the low risk that papillomas pose to an unborn newborn, it is highly likely that the child will be infected with HPV through the perinatal route. This means that the baby will become a carrier of the virus from birth. This may manifest itself as the appearance of skin growths in childhood. However, HPV can remain dormant in the body for many years, without manifesting itself in any way.

As for the danger to the health of the future mother, the main risk is the degeneration of papillomas from benign growths to malignant ones.

This is mainly characteristic of neoplasms that are located inside the mammary ducts or on the cervix. Such growths can develop for a long time without diagnosis.

In addition, papillomas inside the ducts of the mammary glands are dangerous because they interfere with the release of milk. This leads to stagnation, inflammation, mastitis.

There is a risk of mechanical damage to the papilloma during pregnancy, which entails the use of excessively tight clothes or underwear. This can lead to severe bleeding, infection and inflammation, which is extremely undesirable for a pregnant woman.

Particular attention should be paid to neoplasms in the genital area. Such papillomas lead to an increase in vaginal discharge, which can be dangerous due to the addition of an additional infection in a humid environment, which is also unacceptable when carrying a child.

Is it possible to remove papillomas from a pregnant woman?

Most doctors are inclined to think that removing papillomas during pregnancy is an unjustified step.

Expectant mothers should resort to this only in extreme cases, when there is a risk of malignancy, an inflammatory process has begun, or an infection has occurred. Also, an indication for the removal of papilloma is its placement in areas of close contact of the epidermis with clothing, where it can be damaged mechanically.

It is recommended to remove papillomas during pregnancy if the growth is located in the area of ​​the external genitalia or in the vagina, since there is a high risk of infection of the child upon birth.

HPV during pregnancy requires testing for the type of strain and the nature of the cells. If the virus is oncogenic and has become active, antiviral treatment may be indicated, which can suppress the development of the disease.

Surgical removal of papillomas during pregnancy is accompanied by painful sensations that are not at all beneficial to the woman. In this case, anesthesia cannot be used. The maximum that a specialist can offer is local anesthesia.

It should be remembered that after the birth of the child, most tumors will disappear on their own. If this does not happen, then after childbirth you can remove the papillomas using any acceptable methods.

It is strictly forbidden to self-medicate at any stage of pregnancy.

Improper treatment can lead to inflammation, blood poisoning and other dangerous consequences. Only after a comprehensive examination and weighing the risks for the mother and child, a specialist determines whether papillomas can be removed during pregnancy.

What is HPV during pregnancy - watch the video:

Papillomas in expectant mothers are a very common pathology. A woman’s body is actively restructuring and changing, so HPV can react with external manifestations. Most often, papillomas during pregnancy appear on the chest, neck, and armpits. Treatment must be strictly coordinated with a doctor, who will weigh all the risks and select the optimal treatment program.