No Association between HPV Vaccination and Infertility in U.S. Females 18-33 Years Old

Abstract

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been recommended as primary prevention of HPV-related cancers for over 10 years in the United States, and evidence reveals decreased incidence of HPV infections following vaccination. However, concerns have been raised that HPV vaccines could decrease fertility. This study examined the relationship between HPV immunization and self-reported infertility in a nationally representative sample. Methods: Data from the 2013-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed to asses likelihood of self-reported infertility among women aged 20 to 33, who were young enough to have been offered HPV vaccines and old enough to have been queried about infertility (n=1,114). Two logistic regression models, stratified by marital history, examined potential associations between HPV vaccination and infertility. Model 1 assessed the likelihood of infertility among women who had never been pregnant or whose pregnancies occurred prior to HPV vaccination. Model 2 accounted for the possibility of latent and/or non-permanent post-vaccine infertility by including all women 20-33 years old. Results: 8.1% reported any infertility. Women who had ever been married and had received an HPV vaccine were less likely to report infertility (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01-0.57) in model 1. No other associations between HPV and infertility were found. Conclusion: There was no evidence of increased infertility among women who received the HPV vaccine. These results provide further evidence of HPV vaccine safety and should give providers confidence in recommending HPV vaccination. Further research should explore protective effects of HPV vaccines on female and male fertility. What is already known on this subject? Despite evidence that HPV vaccines are safe and effective, concerns persist regarding a purported link between HPV vaccination and infertility. These concerns were refuted by a recent population-based cohort study that found no association between the HPV vaccine and primary ovarian insufficiency. What this study adds? This study broadens the existing evidence by exploring possible associations between HPV vaccination and any self-reported infertility. There was no evidence of infertility among women 20-33 years old who received one or more doses of HPV vaccine. This result provides further evidence of HPV vaccine safety, diminishing remaining concerns among clinicians and the public.