Women who received the HPV vaccine before becoming pregnant had a reduced risk of major pregnancy complications, including preterm birth, with earlier vaccination linked to the greatest benefit, according to a study published in The BMJ.
A study in The BMJ has found that having the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine before pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of serious complications during pregnancy. The reduction in risk was most pronounced among women who were vaccinated at a younger age.
Preterm birth — when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy — is one of the leading causes of newborn illness and death worldwide. The BMJ research suggests that prior HPV vaccination may offer a degree of protection against this and other major pregnancy complications, though the study does not establish that the vaccine directly causes the reduction.
The HPV vaccine is given mainly to prevent cervical and other HPV-related cancers.
In England, the NHS offers the HPV vaccine to girls and boys aged 11 to 13 through a school vaccination programme.
Source: @bmj_latest; the study in The BMJ
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