Protect Yourself From HPV

Did you know that HPV currently infects 6 million people in the US each year?

Wouldn’t it be great if there was an easy way to not only protect yourself from getting the most common strands of HPV but also significantly decrease your risk of getting cervical cancer? Well now there is!

There are currently two vaccines on the market, Gardasil and Cervarix, which protect against the two strands of HPV causing about 70% of cervical cancers in women. Gardasil also protects against two common types of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts. The 3-dose vaccine is recommended for all girls ages 11 to 12, and can be given to girls 9 to 26 years old.

Worried about cost? Many insurance companies will cover the cost of the 3-dose vaccine if you’re within the recommended ages. Check with your insurance company to see if you qualify. Remember that getting the HPV vaccine is an investment in your future health!

While the vaccines are highly effective, they do not protect against all strands of HPV or other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). HPV vaccines are highly recommended, however there are still many other things you can do to decrease your risk of exposure to HPV.

Reduce your risk by…
1) Abstaining from sexual activity, or if you are sexually active, being sure to use condoms every time you have sex.
2) Limiting your number of sexual partners
3) Getting Regular Pap tests
4) Getting checked by a health care provider

To make an appointment to get your HPV vaccine, call 1-800-230-PLAN

January is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that HPV, the Human Papilloma Virus, has been linked to cervical cancer? HPV is a very common virus which may produce warts or certain kinds of cancer, including cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer is preventable and curable if detected early. One way to detect it is through a regular Pap test. A Pap test is a sample of cervical cells collected during a pelvic (GYN) exam.

The current recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for women are:

• Pap testing beginning at age 21 or 3 years after the onset of sexual activity.
• Pap testing repeated at least every 3 years.

Another important prevention method is the HPV vaccine. This protects women against two of the HPV types that cause 70% of all cases of cervical cancer.

Planned Parenthood of Delaware offers GYN exams, Pap tests, and the HPV vaccine. Click here for a list of our Medical Centers to make an appointment, or call for walk-in hours.

And for more information, visit Planned Parenthood Federation of America or the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.