Can HPV affect fertility?

There’s no good evidence that HPV itself causes infertility. The NHS pages on infertility say several STIs, including Chlamydia, can affect fertility. They don’t name HPV, and the NHS pages on HPV and genital warts don’t mention fertility at all.

What researchers have found so far:

• links, not causes: some studies link HPV with sperm that move less well and with premature birth, but they can’t show that HPV is the reason
• mixed results: two studies published in 2025 found no difference in semen quality between men with and without HPV
• treatment can matter more than the virus: treatment for abnormal cells in the cervix, or for cervical cancer, can affect a later pregnancy

HPV (human papillomavirus) is a very common group of viruses, passed on by skin-to-skin contact of the genital area and by vaginal, anal or oral sex.

• most people get it: usually with no symptoms, so you may not know you have it
• it usually clears: the NHS says the virus is usually cleared by your body within 2 years. There’s no treatment for HPV itself, only for the warts or cell changes it can cause
• low-risk types: cause genital warts. These are different from the types linked with cancer
• high-risk types: around 14 types can cause cell changes that may lead to cancer. Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by HPV

Read more in “Can I get reinfected with HPV?”

There’s no clear evidence that it does.

• trying to conceive: a Danish study followed 9,586 women who were trying for a baby. Overall, those with abnormal cells in the cervix, the changes that high-risk HPV can cause, were about as likely to conceive in each cycle as those without, whether or not the cells had been treated. The chance may be slightly lower in the 2 years after moderate or severe changes are found
• laboratory studies: suggest HPV could affect the cells that go on to form the placenta. Whether that matters in real pregnancies isn’t known
• fertility treatment: studies of couples having IVF give mixed results. European fertility guidelines say the cause of infertility, not HPV, should decide which treatment is used

Possibly, but the evidence is mixed.

• HPV is found in semen more often in men having fertility tests: in a 2017 analysis of 31 studies, about 20% of men at fertility clinics had HPV in their semen, compared with about 11% of men in the general population
• some studies link it with slower sperm: a 2020 analysis of 10 studies found that sperm moved less well when HPV was in the semen. Its authors called the evidence far from conclusive
• other studies found no difference: two studies of men having fertility treatment, published in 2025, found no difference in semen quality between men with and without HPV. One followed 237 men in Italy and the other 246 men in Sweden

European urology guidelines say the findings still need to be confirmed. No UK guidance recommends testing semen for HPV. Read more in “Can an STI lower my sperm count?”

It can, depending on the treatment. Most people with HPV never need any treatment.

Treatment for abnormal cells

Cervical screening can find cell changes caused by high-risk HPV. NHS England says most people who have a colposcopy, a closer look at the cervix, don’t need treatment. If the cells do need removing:

• standard treatment: NHS England says you’re not at increased risk of early labour afterwards
• more extensive treatment: if more tissue than usual is removed, around 16 in 100 women have their baby 1 to 2 months early
• getting pregnant: scarring can sometimes narrow the opening of the cervix, which may stop sperm reaching the womb

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists puts it another way: about 2 in 100 people who become pregnant after this treatment give birth early because of it. If you’ve had treatment to your cervix, tell your midwife when you become pregnant.

Treatment for cervical cancer

• very early cancer: removing part of the cervix, or the cervix but not the womb, keeps pregnancy possible. Cancer Research UK says there’s then a higher risk of the baby being born early and, if the cervix is removed, of miscarriage
• hysterectomy: removing the womb means you can’t become pregnant
• radiotherapy: Cancer Research UK says it isn’t possible to have children after radiotherapy for cervical cancer, and it can bring on an early menopause

Your care team will talk to you about fertility before treatment starts. Read more in “Cervical cancer: the symptoms and signs”

Genital warts aren’t usually harmful during pregnancy, and passing HPV on to a baby is rare.

• warts in pregnancy: the NHS says they may multiply and get bigger, and often disappear within 6 weeks of the birth. Most creams and liquids used to treat warts aren’t recommended in pregnancy
• passing HPV on at birth: the NHS says this is rare. UK guidelines estimate that the throat condition it can cause affects about 4 in every 100,000 births, and a caesarean isn’t recommended to prevent it. In a Canadian study, most babies who picked up HPV cleared it within a few months
• premature birth: a 2020 analysis of 38 studies linked HPV in pregnancy with a higher chance of premature birth and of waters breaking early. Its authors said most of the studies were of moderate or low quality

If you’re pregnant and have genital warts, tell your midwife. Read more in “Genital warts: symptoms, causes and treatment”

No. The HPV vaccine isn’t linked with infertility. The World Health Organization’s vaccine safety committee reviewed the evidence in December 2019. It concluded that the data don’t support a link between HPV vaccination and infertility.

• who is offered it on the NHS in England: all children aged 12 to 13. If you missed it, you can have it until your 25th birthday (for boys, if you were born after 1 September 2006). Men aged 45 or under who have sex with men are offered it too
• what it does: the NHS says there has been a big drop in the number of young people getting cervical cancer and genital warts since the vaccine has been used
• could it help fertility? One small Italian study looked at 151 couples with fertility problems where the man had HPV in his semen. There were more pregnancies in couples where the man chose to be vaccinated, but the groups weren’t picked at random and the finding hasn’t been confirmed

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea are the STIs most clearly linked with infertility. Left untreated, both can spread to the womb, fallopian tubes and ovaries. This is called pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and the NHS says it can lead to infertility.

Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea often cause no symptoms, so a test is the only way to know. Read more in “Which STIs can cause infertility?” and “Can Chlamydia make you infertile?”

No test can show whether HPV has affected your fertility. If you’re planning a family, the tests that matter most are for the STIs that can harm fertility or a pregnancy. Better2Know offers:

• Full Screen: tests for 7 infections, including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, HIV and Hepatitis B, from 28 days after sex, with results in 3 days (5 days for the home test). It’s available at our clinics or as a Full Screen home test.
• Pre-Pregnancy Screen: for women planning a pregnancy. It tests for STIs including Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, HIV and HPV, and includes a smear test, from 28 days after sex, with results in 5 days, at one of our clinics.
• PAP Smear and HPV Testing for Women: a sample from your cervix, checked for cell changes and tested for types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer, with results in 5 days. You can book it at one of our clinics.
• HPV home test: for women and people with a cervix, a vaginal swab you take yourself that checks for 14 high-risk types of HPV, with results in 3 days.

If you test before 45 days, a negative HIV result needs a repeat test. A Syphilis test in the first 3 months after sex can miss the infection, so you may need a repeat test. Not sure which test you need? Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Can you get pregnant if you have HPV?

Yes. There’s no good evidence that HPV stops you conceiving, and the NHS doesn’t list it as a cause of infertility. If abnormal cells that need treatment are found while you’re pregnant, NHS England says they’re removed after you give birth.

Does HPV cause miscarriage?

A 2020 analysis of 38 studies found no significant link between HPV and miscarriage. It did find a link with losing a baby later in pregnancy, but that result came from only 2 studies, and most of the studies were of moderate or low quality.

Can men be tested for HPV?

There’s no routine HPV test for men. The NHS says HPV testing is part of cervical screening and that there’s no blood test for HPV. Genital warts are usually diagnosed by a doctor or nurse looking at them.

So, can HPV affect fertility? There’s no good evidence that the virus itself does. It’s very common, it usually clears within 2 years, and the NHS doesn’t list it as a cause of infertility. What can matter is treatment for cell changes or for cervical cancer, which is why cervical screening and the HPV vaccine are worth having. The STIs most clearly linked with infertility are Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, and both are easy to test for and treat.

Book a Full Screen at a clinic near you or order a home test kit. Our Patient Care Team is available 24/7 on 020 7099 0955.

Not in the UK? Choose your country from the selector at the top of the page for local tests and prices.

This article originally appeared on 5 July 2024 and was last updated on 3 October 2026.

Medical review. This article was medically reviewed by Dr Steve Chapman, Doctor with a wealth of clinical experience in the field of STIs, on 29 July 2024. It is general information and not a substitute for personal medical advice.

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