HPV Vaccine May Have Benefits Beyond Cancer Protection

THURSDAY, Oct. 8, 2026 (HealthDay News) — The HPV vaccine is best known for protecting against cervical cancer.

But, it may have another major benefit: reducing the risk of serious pregnancy complications.

A team led by Zhongsong Zhang, of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, conducted a large study that looked at more than 624,000 first-time births.

About 93,000 of the women had been vaccinated against human papillomavirus, HPV — a common, sexually transmitted infection that can cause precancerous and cancerous changes.

Those who were vaccinated had lower odds of several complications, including preterm and very preterm birth, the amniotic sac rupturing too early, and having a severely small baby.

The link was generally stronger among women vaccinated before age 17. They had about 10% lower odds of preterm birth and 11% lower odds of spontaneous preterm birth.

Researchers said vaccination may help by preventing HPV infection and reducing the need for procedures to remove abnormal cervical tissue. These procedures have been linked to a higher risk of preterm birth.

Because this was an observational study, it can't prove cause and effect.

But researchers say the study's large size, high-quality data and long follow-up strengthen the findings.

"Our results suggest that human papillomavirus vaccination is not only safe with respect to pregnancy outcomes but may also confer additional benefits by reducing the risk of adverse events," they said in a news release.

The findings were published Oct. 7 in The BMJ.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on the human papillomavirus.

SOURCE: HealthDay TV, Oct. 8, 2026