In most women, HPV goes away within two years. We do not know why it lasts longer in some women than others.

If HPV goes away, can I get it again?

If you have one type of HPV that goes away, you may not get that type again. But you still can get a different type. Remember, there are about 40 types of HPV that can infect the genital area.

Does having HPV affect my chances of getting pregnant or having healthy babies?

Having HPV does not make it harder to get or stay pregnant. The type of HPV you have should not affect the health of your future babies. But if you need treatment for abnormal cells (caused by HPV), the treatment could affect your chance of having babies. Ask your doctor if your treatment can impact your ability to get pregnant.

Will I pass HPV to my current partner?

If you have HPV and have been with your partner for a while, your partner is likely to have HPV too. There is no way to know if your partner gave you HPV, or if you gave HPV to your partner.

Can I prevent passing HPV to a new partner?

Condoms may lower your chances of passing HPV to your new partner, if used all the time and the right way. But HPV can infect areas that are not covered by a condom—so condoms may not fully protect against HPV. The only sure way to prevent passing HPV to a partner is not to have sex.

Can my male partner get tested for HPV?

Right now, there is no HPV test for men. HPV is just as common in men as in women, but its health complications tend to be more serious in women. The types of HPV that put you at risk for cervical cancer rarely cause health problems for most men.

How do I talk to my partner about HPV?

You and your partner may benefit from talking openly about HPV. You can tell your partner that:

* HPV is very common. It can infect the genital areas of both men and women. It usually has no signs or symptoms.

* Most sexually active people get HPV at some time in their lives, though most will never know it. People with only one lifetime sex partner can get HPV, if their partner was infected with HPV.

* Most of the time, the body fights off HPV naturally. But in some people, HPV does not go away.

* There is no test yet for men to find out if they have HPV. But the most common health problem caused by HPV in men is Genital Warts. And the type of HPV found on your HPV test does not cause genital warts.

* Partners who have been together for a while tend to share HPV. This means that your partner likely has HPV also, even though your partner may have no signs or symptoms.

* Having HPV does not mean that you or your partner is having sex outside of your relationship. There is no sure way to know when you got HPV. A person can have HPV for many years before it is found.

If your sex partner is female, you should talk to her about the link between HPV and cervical cancer, and encourage her to get screened for cervical cancer.