A woman can get HPV mainly through skin-to-skin sexual contact , especially vaginal, anal, or oral sex, but it can also spread through other genital skin contact even without penetration.

Common ways HPV spreads

  • Vaginal sex.
  • Anal sex.
  • Oral sex.
  • Direct genital-to-genital skin contact.
  • Hand-to-genital contact in some cases.
  • Sharing sex toys if they are not cleaned or covered between uses.

Less common routes

HPV can sometimes spread from one part of a person’s body to another, and in rare cases it can pass from parent to baby during birth.

What raises risk

Risk is higher if someone has:

  • More sexual partners.
  • A partner who has had many partners.
  • Sex at a younger age.
  • No HPV vaccination.

Important note

Many people with HPV never know they have it because it often causes no symptoms. Condoms can lower risk, but they do not fully block HPV because uncovered skin can still spread it.

Protection

  • Get the HPV vaccine if eligible.
  • Use condoms or dental dams to reduce risk.
  • Limit sexual partners when possible.

TL;DR: HPV is usually caught through sexual skin-to-skin contact, not just intercourse, and vaccination is the best prevention.