Genital Warts (Human Papillomavirus)

What Increases Your Risk

Factors that increase the risk of becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease, such as HPV and genital warts, include:

• Having multiple sex partners.
• Having high-risk partner(s) (partner has multiple sex partners or HPV-infected sex partners).
• Having unprotected sexual contact (not using condoms).
• Having an impaired immune system.

If you have a high-risk type of HPV and are using birth control pills for more than 5 years, research suggests that this can increase your risk of getting cervical cancer.³ More research is needed, but for more information, see the topic Cervical Cancer.

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Author:	Sandy Jocoy, RN	Last Updated: July 2, 2008
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, MPH - Infectious Disease
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