HPV positive - worried and unsure

[maximoo87]

I had my first smear a few weeks ago and just got the results through the post yesterday which says I am HPV positive I am really worried about it. I have been with my partner for almost 5 years (only person I have had sexual contact with within that time just to be clear). I had partners before that and since this is my first smear I’m worried I could of has this for many years and that it will lead to further problems as I have read it can lead to cervical cancer. I need to go for another smear in 1 year which is a long time to be worried about something. If anyone has been in this situation or is a nurse I would be very grateful for your advice. What happens if I go back next year for smear and I am HPV positive again? Could I of passed this to my current partner if I have the virus from some else before him? Is there anything he needs to be about it? And is there anything I need to do differently now I have this? Conflicting information online as to whether this is an STD or not, which is why I have not fully discussed with partner yet as I’m really concerned what he will think, although I have mentioned it, I just want to find out more first. Thank you in advance I’m hoping someone can help!

Sorry also forgot to add has anyone ttc whilst knowing they are HPV positive? Or know if it is ok to do so? Do not want to be waiting potentially years until I am clear but obviously would not want it to cause any harm at all to baby. Thanks

Easier said than done, but try not to worry about it. If they are only repeating the smear in a year, that means that there are no abnormal cell changes on this smear, so that is a good thing. HPV is a really common virus, and most people will clear it from the body themselves. If you smoke, it's best to try and cut down/give up, as smoking suppresses the immune system and can make clearance of viruses such as HPV more difficult. It's great that you have talked to your partner about it, but there isn't anything that he can/needs to do. No, you don't need to do anything differently. I'm not sure about your TTC question. I would have thought it would be ok. Testing for HPV is a fairly recent thing that has started to happen, but obviously the virus will have been around for ages - millions of women over the years will have had HPV and still got pregnant and had healthy babies, so I wouldn't stop TTC for that reason.

I had HPV and abnormal cells - I was referred for a colposcopy and biopsy and then had another smear after 6 months. The HPV cleared up in that time and I didn't require any further treatment for the cells. I've not had HPV since and am back on the 3 yearly routine for smears now, having been all clear ever since. The doctor I saw said most people have HPV and lots don't even know they have or have had it. It's usually nothing to worry about. Hopefully in a year it will have cleared up. If you do have abnormal cells then don't worry - mine were absolutely nothing to be concerned about and if there is an issue they will pick it up early which is key.

Thank you both for your re-assuring messages it has helped put me not worry as much as I was!

My first smear showed I was HPV positive, had yearly smears for 3 years.

That was 15 years ago and I've had no further issues.

So many of the population have it. I know there’s a vaccine now but it really is so incredibly common I wouldn’t worry about it. I have it, the really horrible high risk strain, and honestly it just hardly crosses my mind.

Pretty much everyone is exposed to HPV and the majority of people will clear it within 2 years. Your sexual history isn’t especially relevant and it shouldn’t affect your plans to start a family.

Some people become long term carriers. This is more likely in smokers and people who have a weakened immune system but we don’t know why some people don’t (probably genetic factors).

Even if you go on to develop cervical changes these can easily be treated before they turn into cancer- this is why we have smears.

Posted too soon- there’s no way of knowing who you got it from. It doesn’t really make a difference as almost everyone who is sexually active is exposed to it. Any sexual contact can introduce hpv. It’s probably possible to catch in other ways but intercourse will introduce the virus to the cervix. Think of it as the common cold- there’s no way of preventing it other than the vaccine. Unless you need cervical treatment there’s no reason to delay TTC.

Jo’s trust website have some good clear information about HPV.

I had similar to you re previous smears all fine, then one year I had HPV and abnormal cells so they referred for biopsy and we had to wait before TTC. The worst bit was waiting for the results as they took so long, but it came back fine with slight inflammation.
I was pregnant 3 months later and had normal smears since (yearly).
I'm sure you will be absolutely fine OP!

Some brilliant advice on here already. My smear in feb showed HPV (high risk type) but no abnormal cells so I’m in the same boat and due for another smear early next year.

I’m also in a long term relationship and asked a lot of the same questions as you. From the research I’ve done apparently HPV can lie inactive for years and be activated by periods of low immunity (eg pregnancy) which is what I suspect happened for me. I may have been carrying it for years in a dormant stare. Hopefully we will both be one of the 90% that clear it within two years but if not then we’ll have continued close monitoring. Very few women who are chronically infected go on to develop cervical cancer and on the whole it’s slow growing so with regular monitoring any abnormal cell changes will be picked up before they become a problem.

We are due to start TTC for our second next year so will try and get a smear before this to check nothing dodgy has happened in the meantime. There is little evidence to show HPV interferes with fertility or pregnancy so will continue to TTC even if I’m still carrying it (for all I know I may have been positive for it during my last pregnancy as this was the first time I’ve ever been tested for it!)

Try not to worry. It’s positive you have this info so the nhs can keep an eye on you :)

Thank you all so much for taking the time out to reply to my post and give great advice I’m feeling a lot better about it now and will try not to worry about it too much. @ForeverBaffled fingers crossed for both of us! Hope everything goes well for you