Objective To explore the reproductive concerns of women infected with human papillomavirus HPV Design Qualitative study with conventional content analysis approach Setting A large busy colposcopy clinic in Valiasr hospital (Tehran) Sample Twenty Iranian women tested positive for high-risk HPV types or both high-risk and low-risk HPV strains Methods In-depth face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted transcribed verbatim and analysed using conventional content analysis approach with the aid of MAXQDA.10 software Main Outcome Measures HPV-positive women’s reproductive concerns Results Exploring participants’ concerns about fertility and childbearing, three main categories extracted from the interviews, namely: concerns about fertility potential, pregnancy concerns, and non-pregnancy reproductive concerns. Women were concerned about the impact of HPV on male/female fertility potential, fetal health, pregnancy outcomes (miscarriage and preterm delivery), and breastfeeding. Women with cervical abnormalities were anxious that becoming pregnant or taking hormonal contraception might worsen their condition. Most participants were reluctant to use a condom. Married women wanted to know why they were advised to use a condom when they already had HPV. Women also asked about the potential reproductive risks of the HPV vaccine. Conclusions HPV-positive women had some reproductive concerns that should be considered in the designing of educational-consulting interventions. Women need to be better understood and informed about the impact of HPV on their reproductive health. Health care providers may lack knowledge about these specific areas, and they could benefit from additional up-to-date information to address women’s reproductive concerns.
