What are the symptoms of genital warts in women?

Genital warts manifest themselves differently in men and women – in women they usually appear on the vulva, urethra, cervix, and vagina and around the anus. The genital warts are small lesions that can be pink, red and gray; they can also be flat, raised or in grow in clusters. At times the warts are actually quite small and not visible with the naked eye – if a doctor suspects the presence of genital warts, he or she might swab the infected area with acetic acid or perform biopsy; at times the use of colposcopy might be called for.

The symptoms of genital warts in women are usually seen a few weeks to a few months after they have been infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV) – the virus that causes the warts. If the warts aren’t yet present, other common symptoms might be increased dampness, itching, irritation and abnormal pain in the genital area, and when the warts are internal, then vaginal discharge or painful intercourse might be experienced as well.

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After the initial symptoms of genital warts in women, the warts might grow in number and size, but they might also spontaneously regress. The HPV infection is not only very common, but is also on the increase – in the US it is estimated that anywhere between 10% and 20% of the sexually active women and men are infected with the virus. The fact that this sexually transmitted infection is so widespread is due to earlier initiation of sexual activity as well as the increased number of casual sexual partners.

Special consideration is the case when the genital warts are found in pregnant women – there is a slight chance of vertical infection (from mother to child) and the warts’ symptoms are quite often getting worse during pregnancy since the expectant mother immune system is suppressed. In severe cases the warts might cause difficulties during the actual birth since they might be obstructing the birth canal.

What should be done if symptoms of female genital warts are present?

The first thing a woman should do is visit her physician – if the warts aren’t visible often the itch and irritation are mistaken for common rash – let your doctor determine what is the cause of these symptoms.  Once diagnosed, a woman should inform her partner and abstain from sex until the warts are treated; the appropriate treatment depends on the severity of the case, the number of the warts, their size and the size of the infected area. It should be noted that even after the warts have been successfully removed, there is a high chance of recurring – it is estimated that 27% to 45% of the patients will see the warts reappearing usually within three months after the end of the treatment. Since the underlying cause of the symptoms of genital warts – the HPV infection – cannot be cured yet, the patient should try to strengthen her immune system in order to avoid re-occurrence.