Genital warts... what the actual hell

[ALR123]

Went for a routine docs appointment this morning and mentioned to her that I thought I have piles as I could feel some bumps around my bum (am 26 weeks pregnant). She had a look and said they look like genital warts
She sent me to the local gum clinic where I sat with a load of teens and felt so ashamed. I got called in and the diagnosis was confirmed. I'm absolutely mortified.
She said that as I've had 2 vaginal scans early in pregnancy and it wasn't picked up she agrees that they've only just recently come out (I only noticed them about 6 weeks ago)
Apparently it's common for them to lie dormant for years and then appear during pregnancy when your immune system is suppressed
have had to call my husband to explain and felt like a total cow.
had them frozen today which hurt like hell and I have to go back to dreaded clinic for the next 7 weeks do for the same treatment!
I feel so sad :-( I know it's not something that I've done wrong but I still feel ashamed and worried about my babies health. Anyone ever dealt with this before? How effective was the freezing treatment?

I caught genital warts when I was seventeen. I had loads and they were frozen off. One session of treatment was enough to deal with them (and I had loads).
When I was pregnant with ds, I had one emerge. It was frozen off and since then I haven't had any problems with them.

Yeah I got them when I was a teenager and they flared up again in my early 20s. But never had any problems since.
Got them freezed off, had to go back 1-2 times to GUM, but it was all totally fine.

Hopefully your DH was understanding.

So freezer no alone is usually effective? She said that ideally she'd give me cream as well but you can't use it in pregnancy.
Have you ever had abnormal smears due to this? I'm worrying like mad.
Yes hubby has been fine about it (after I showed him the leaflets which said that they can come out during pregnancy years after contracting the virus).

When I was seventeen, they didn't give me any cream, nor when I had the one during pregnancy.
Never had an abnormal smear and I am 33 now.

Please don't worry. I contracted them in my late twenties and a line of four or five have appeared now I'm pregnant (in my mid-forties). I'm not even getting them treated. Your baby is protected.

Thanks, that makes me feel better. Although the thought of another 6-7 Weeks of freezing them off makes me want to wrap my fouf up in bubble wrap and never let anyone near me again

What happens if they are left untreated?

According to nhs site they often go on their own within 3 months or after pregnancy, however there's a small risk of passing the hpv virus to the baby as it passes through the birth canal which is why they said to me earlier they want to get rid asap. She said if they spread to across the vaginal opening it could mean a c-sec which really got to me

You mentioned abnormal smears - The strains of HPV virus that causes genital warts is different than the ones that increase your risk of cervical cancer, so no increased risk of abnormal smears. Hope that helps ease your worries a little.

"Apparently it's common for them to lie dormant for years and then appear during pregnancy when your immune system is suppressed."

OP I had exactly the same thing happen to me when I was pregnant with my first. I was diagnosed with HPV when I was 21 (my first ever boyfriend gave them to me... nice). I was treated and had normal smears throughout my 20s until my first pregnancy/baby when I was 29.
I was pretty surprised. I know I was treated. I just can't remember if they were frozen off or if I had a topical ointment.
I've never had them flare up in subsequent pregnancies. I'm 43 now and still have normal smears.
Try not to stress or panic. And don't feel embarrassed. HPV is incredibly common. It's that one strain linked to cervical cancer that can be scary, but is very managable. Enjoy your pregnancy!