Maternal human papillomavirus infection during pregnancy and preterm delivery, a mother–child cohort study in Norway and Sweden
Journal article, 2023

Introduction:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common in women of reproductive age. Infection and inflammation are leading causes for preterm delivery (PTD), but the role of HPV infection in PTD and prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) is unclear. We aimed to explore whether HPV infection during pregnancy in general, and high-risk-HPV (HR-HPV) infection specifically, increased the risk of PTD, preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM), PROM at term, and/or chorioamnionitis.
Material and Methods:
In pregnant women, who were participating in a prospective multicenter cohort study from a general population in Norway and Sweden (PreventADALL, ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02449850), HPV DNA was analyzed in available urine samples at mid-gestation (16–22 weeks) and at delivery, and in the placenta after delivery with Seegene Anyplex II HPV28 PCR assay. The risk of PTD, PPROM, PROM, and chorioamnionitis was analyzed using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression analyses for any 28 HPV genotypes, including 12 HR-HPV genotypes, compared with HPV-negative women. Further, subgroups of HPV (low-risk/possibly HR-HPV, HR-HPV-non-16 and HR-HPV-16), persistence of HR-HPV from mid-gestation to delivery, HR-HPV-viral load, and presence of multiple HPV infections were analyzed for the obstetric outcomes. Samples for HPV analyses were available from 950 women with singleton pregnancies (mean age 32 years) at mid-gestation and in 753 also at delivery. Results:
At mid-gestation, 40% of women were positive for any HPV and 24% for HR-HPV. Of the 950 included women, 23 had PTD (2.4%), nine had PPROM (0.9%), and six had chorioamnionitis (0.6%). Of the term pregnancies, 25% involved PROM. The frequency of PTD was higher in HR-HPV-positive women (8/231, 3.5%) than in HPV-negative women (13/573, 2.3%) at mid-gestation, but the association was not statistically significant (odds ratio 1.55; 95% confidence interval 0.63–3.78). Neither any HPV nor subgroups of HPV at mid-gestation or delivery, nor persistence of HR-HPV was significantly associated with increased risk for PTD, PPROM, PROM, or chorioamnionitis. No HPV DNA was detected in placentas of women with PTD, PPROM or chorioamnionitis.
Conclusions:
HPV infection during pregnancy was not significantly associated with increased risk for PTD, PPROM, PROM, or chorioamnionitis among women from a general population with a low incidence of adverse obstetric outcomes.

rupture of membranes

HPV

preterm birth

delivery

infections

Author

Johanna Wiik

University of Gothenburg

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Østfold Hospital Trust

Magdalena R. Værnesbranden

Østfold Hospital Trust

University of Oslo

Christine M. Jonassen

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Østfold Hospital Trust

Anne Cathrine Staff

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Karin C.L. Carlsen

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Berit Granum

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Guttorm Haugen

Oslo University Hospital

University of Oslo

Gunilla Hedlin

Karolinska University Hospital

Karolinska Institutet

Katarina Hilde

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Bo Jacobsson

University of Gothenburg

Norwegian Institute of Public Health

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Staffan Nilsson

University of Gothenburg

Chalmers, Mathematical Sciences, Applied Mathematics and Statistics

Björn Nordlund

Karolinska Institutet

Karolinska University Hospital

Anbjørg Rangberg

Østfold Hospital Trust

Eva Maria Rehbinder

Oslo University Hospital

University of Oslo

Verena Sengpiel

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

University of Gothenburg

Håvard Skjerven

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Birgitte K. Sundet

Oslo University Hospital

University of Oslo

Cilla Söderhäll

Karolinska University Hospital

Karolinska Institutet

Riyas Vettukattil

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Katrine Sjøborg

Østfold Hospital Trust

Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica

0001-6349 (ISSN) 1600-0412 (eISSN)

Vol. 102 3 344-354

Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)

Infectious Medicine

Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine

DOI

10.1111/aogs.14509

PubMed

36647213

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Latest update

9/1/2025 1