January is Cervical Health Awareness Month. To start the year off right by taking charge of their health, women should use this opportunity to schedule important preventive screenings such as Pap tests, which detect irregularities that can lead to cervical cancer.
Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of HPV, or human papilloma virus, a very common sexually transmitted infection. In most cases, the body’s immune system clears HPV naturally – but high-risk HPV may lead to cervical cancer in some women.
One of the best ways to prevent the spread of HPV is by getting the HPV vaccine. Unfortunately, I know there are still a lot of myths out there about the vaccine. It’s good to ask questions about any medication, but it’s also important to remember the HPV vaccine is safe and effective.
The FDA has approved the vaccine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended it for girls and boys aged 11 to 12. The American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics as well as Planned Parenthood support ensuring all young people get the vaccine.
Medical guidance recommends both girls and boys get the vaccination when they are 11 to 12 years old because the vaccine works best when people receive it years before they start having sex. But even those who have had sex can benefit from the vaccine; it is available to anyone aged 9 to 26.
For women over the age of 26, the best way to prevent cervical cancer is to get routine Pap tests. And while not routinely given, some people may be candidates to receive the vaccine after age 26 and should talk to their health-care provider for more information.
Contrary to what you might have heard, research shows young people who get the HPV vaccine are no more likely to have sex than those who don’t get vaccinated. As a bonus, the HPV vaccine appointment can give parents an opportunity to talk with their kids about sex and sexual health.
Remember, you can be exposed to HPV by having genital skin-to-skin contact just once with someone who has the virus, so it’s important to talk with your partner about the importance of being protected and safe.
And while there is no cure for HPV, there is treatment for the abnormal cell changes in the cervix caused by HPV, which is available at some Planned Parenthood health centers.
Treatment is also available for cervical cancer, which, when caught early, has a nearly 100-percent, five-year survival rate. Planned Parenthood health centers can help those who do need additional care connect with trusted, quality resources.
For more information about the human papilloma virus, the vaccine to prevent it and cervical cancer, see www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/stds-hiv-safer-sex/hpv-4272.htm; www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/#recs; www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/OtherCarcinogens/InfectiousAgents/HPV/HumanPapillomaVirusandHPVVaccinesFAQ/hpv-faq-acs-and-hpv-vaccines; and www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/vaccine-preventable-diseases/Pages/Human-Papillomavirus-%28HPV%29.aspx.
Amy Dickson is vice president of clinical operations for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Reach her at action.alert@pprm.org
