29/08/2022
How ge***al warts are passed on
The ge***al warts virus can be passed on even when there are no visible warts.
Many people with the virus do not have symptoms but can still pass it on.
If you have ge***al warts, your current s*xual partners should get tested because they may have warts and not know it.
After you get the infection, it can take weeks to many months before symptoms appear.
You can get ge***al warts from:
skin-to-skin contact, including va**nal and a**l s*x
sharing s*x toys
oral s*x, but this is rare
The virus can also be passed to a baby from its mother during birth, but this is rare.
You cannot get ge***al warts from:
kissing
sharing things like towels, cutlery, cups or toilet seats
How to stop ge***al warts being passed on
You can stop ge***al warts from being passed on by:
using a condom every time you have va**nal, a**l or oral s*x – but if the virus is in any in skin that's not protected by a condom, it can still be passed on
not having s*x while you're having treatment for ge***al warts
not sharing s*x toys; if you do share them, wash them or cover them with a new condom before anyone else uses them
Why ge***al warts come back
Ge***al warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV). There are many types of HPV.
The HPV virus can stay in your skin and warts can develop again.
Warts may go away without treatment, but this may take many months. You can still pass the virus on, and the warts may come back.
Ge***al warts and pregnancy
Important:Important
Tell your midwife or doctor if:
you're pregnant, or think you're pregnant, and you have ge***al warts or think you have ge***al warts
During pregnancy, ge***al warts:
can grow and multiply
might appear for the first time, or come back after a long time of not being there
can be treated safely, but some treatments should be avoided
may be removed if they're very big, to avoid problems during birth
may be passed to the baby during birth, but this is rare; the HPV virus can cause infection in the baby's throat or ge***als
Most pregnant women with ge***al warts have a va**nal delivery. Very rarely you might be offered a caesarean, depending on your circumstances.