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Schoolgirls who receive HPV vaccination may be less likely to suffer serious pregnancy complications later in life, a new study suggests.
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, given to 12- and 13-year-old girls since 2008, primarily protects against HPV and several types of cancer, including cervical, mouth, and throat cancer.
Now researchers at the University of Aberdeen say the vaccine “may also protect against serious pregnancy complications”.
The new study, the first of its kind, examined pregnancy complications and vaccination rates among 9,200 women in Aberdeen between 2006 and 2020.
According to the study published in the European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, women who were vaccinated against the virus had significantly reduced incidence of pre-eclampsia, early discharge and bleeding after 24 weeks.
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian examined information from the Aberdeen Maternity and Newborn Databank.
Women who received the HPV vaccine were 48 percent less likely to have premature discharge and discharge before delivery, 62 percent less likely to have pre-eclampsia, and 29 percent less likely to bleed before birth.
“We know from previous research that if an expectant mother has previously had an HPV infection, or has previously been treated for cancerous changes in the cervix, they have an increased risk of pregnancy complications such as preterm birth,” said Dr Andrea Woolner, senior clinical lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and honorary consultant obstetrician and head of early pregnancy at NHS Grampian.
“So we wanted to know whether getting the HPV vaccine would reduce the chance of HPV infection and thus reduce the need for cervical treatment, thereby reducing the chance of some pregnancy complications.
“We found that women who were vaccinated against HPV had better outcomes than those who were not vaccinated for many common pregnancy complications.
“This reinforces the importance of getting the HPV vaccine before the age of 15. The HPV vaccine not only protects against cancer – we found in our research that the vaccine can also protect against serious complications related to pregnancy.”
Dr Maggie Cruikshank, Emeritus Professor at the University of Aberdeen and consultant gynecologist at NHS Grampian, said: “Vaccinating boys as well as girls increases herd immunity, significantly reducing the risk of HPV-related cancers in all genders and supporting healthy future pregnancies.
“These new findings also open the door to exploring additional benefits of the HPV vaccine for men.”