EFFECT OF HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS INFECTION ON PRETERM BIRTH. REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

Abstract

Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, accounting for approximately 75% of all newborn deaths. Viral infections of the genital organs disrupt the protective barrier of the cervical epithelium and often cause premature birth. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common viral infection of the genital tract. HPV can multiply in trophoblast cells and lead to placental dysfunction and spontaneous preterm birth. Questions are increasingly being raised in the literature, whether HPV is really associated with preterm birth, spontaneous abortion, premature rupture of membranes, fetal intrauterine growth retardation, low birth weight, and even fetal death. High-risk HPV infection has been identified as a risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth, and high-grade cervical dysplasia is also associated with preterm birth. Also, women with detected HPV 16 or HPV 18 between the first and third trimesters of pregnancy or treated for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia with excisional methods have an increased risk of preterm birth. Accordingly, a prophylactic HPV vaccine and a cervical cancer screening program for women can reduce the risk of preterm birth. However, more high-quality, large-sample research is needed to develop more robust recommendations to reduce pregnancy complications associated with high-risk HPV infection.