Its Important To Have Open Conversations With Your Child About The Hpv Vaccine
Lui encourages kids and parents to have an ongoing, open conversation about their wishes when it comes to being vaccinated.
Its hard for some kids to admit to their parents that theyre sexually active or are considering it, says Lui. But its important to be honest with your parents and tell them that you want to protect yourself.
She continues, At the same time, parents need to understand that just because their kids want the HPV vaccine, it doesnt mean theyre promiscuous, or even that they plan to start having sex right away. Theyre talking about doing something now that can help keep them safe for the rest of their lives and as parents, thats all we really want for our children.
Hpv Vaccine Information For Young Women
CDC recommends HPV vaccination at age 11 or 12 years and for everyone through age 26 years, if not vaccinated already. For more information on the updated recommendations, see Human Papillomavirus Vaccination for Adults: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
A vaccines is available to prevent the human papillomavirus types that cause most cervical cancers as well as some cancers of the anus, vulva , vagina, and oropharynx . The vaccine also prevents HPV types that cause most genital warts.
What Are The Advantages Of Getting The Hpv Vaccine
The biggest advantage is reducing your risk for cancers caused by HPV infection. HPV is so common that around 80% of people in the United States will encounter it at some point in their lives. There is no way to know which infection can lead to cancer. Vaccinating against HPV is the best protection available at this time.
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Who Should Be Vaccinated For Hpv
Females between 9 and 45 years of age can be vaccinated with Cervarix, Gardasil or Gardasil 9 to prevent cervical cancer and precancerous cervical changes. Gardasil and Gardasil 9 may also prevent vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers and their precancers, as well as anogenital warts.
Its important to know that HPV vaccines do not replace cervical cancer screening. Your doctor will still. HPV vaccines prevent infection from the most common types of HPV related to cancer, but not all.
Hpv Tests Check For High
These tests are usually used to identify women who are at high-risk of having precancerous changes and developing cervical cancer. Research shows that HPV testing is more accurate than the Pap test in finding precancerous changes in the cervix. Researchers are still trying to find the best way to use the HPV test as a part of cervical cancer screening. are an effective way to find cervical cancer.
HPV tests are available in some areas of Canada. In provinces that use HPV tests as part of their cervical cancer screening programs, they are generally used as a follow-up to abnormal Pap tests results.
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Hpv Vaccination For Transgender People
Trans women are eligible in the same way as MSM if their risk of getting HPV is similar to the risk of MSM who are eligible for the HPV vaccine.
Trans men are eligible if they have sex with other men and are aged 45 or under.
If trans men have previously completed a course of HPV vaccination as part of the girls’ HPV vaccine programme, no further doses are needed.
If I Have Hpv Can I Still Get The Hpv Vaccine
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HPV, or the human papillomavirus, is a common virus that you can catch from a partner during sex. Most of the time, HPV is harmless and is cleared by your system without causing any symptoms or complications. However, sometimes it causes cell changes that can lead to cancer this is why a HPV vaccine was developed.
The HPV vaccine is part of a free NHS immunisation programme and is routinely offered to boys and girls in school, as well as some adults. If youre concerned about HPV, you can protect yourself by getting the HPV vaccine either as part of the free NHS programme or privately through a service like Online Doctor.
You can benefit from the HPV vaccine even if you have HPV or have had it in the past. However, the vaccine wont cure your body of the virus instead it will protect you from getting HPV again in the future. Read on to learn more.
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Are There Different Types Of Hpv Vaccines
HPV is a group of more than 200 viruses. About 40 of these are spread through sexual contact. Of these 40, about 12 types can cause certain cancers. There are three safe and effective HPV vaccines available worldwide:
- Gardasil® 9: This is the only vaccine currently being used in the United States. Gardasil 9 protects against nine types of cancer-causing HPV, including high-risk strains. It can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers.
- Cervarix® and Gardasil®: These two HPV vaccines are used in other countries and treat certain high-risk strains of HPV. They can prevent around 70% of cervical cancer.
What I Tell Every Patient About The Hpv Vaccine
HPV can cause cancer and genital warts. So who should get the vaccine, and why? An ob-gyn explains.
HPV is a virus thats spread by skin-to-skin and sexual contact. It is the most common STI in the United States. Different strains of HPV are linked to most cervical cancers, genital warts, and some rare forms of cancer of the anus, vagina, penis, mouth, and throat.
Fortunately, theres a vaccine thats extremely effective at preventing HPV infection, especially when boys and girls are vaccinated before they become sexually active. Heres what I tell all my patients about the vaccine.
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The Vaccine Helps The Body Produce Antibodies To Fight Hpv
When the HPV vaccine is injected, your body will try to respond to it by making antibodies to fight the virus. Those antibodies will safeguard you against HPV infections.
In their preteen years, kids have a stronger immune response to the HPV vaccine. It is also more effective if the three-shot series, which is given over six months, is complete before children become sexually active.
Is This Vaccination Safe
Vaccines have to be rigorously tested before they can be widely distributed. The HPV vaccines were tested on thousands of people and shown to be safe before they were released to the public. These vaccines have been used for years now, and experts say the chance of them causing a serious reaction is very slim. The HPV vaccine does not contain mercury or the preservative thimerosal.
If I get the HPV vaccine, is there a chance I could get HPV from the vaccine?
The part of the HPV virus used in both vaccines is inactivated , so it can’t cause actual HPV infection.
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How Safe Is The Hpv Vaccine
The HPV vaccine has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration . The CDC has approved this vaccine as safe and effective. The vaccine was studied in thousands of people around the world, and these studies showed no serious safety concerns. Side effects reported in these studies were mild, including pain where the shot was given, fever, dizziness, and nausea. Vaccine safety continues to be monitored by CDC and the FDA. More than 60 million doses of HPV vaccine have been distributed in the United States as of March 2014.
Fainting, which can occur after any medical procedure, has also been noted after HPV vaccination. Fainting after any vaccination is more common in adolescents. Because fainting can cause falls and injuries, adolescents and adults should be seated or lying down during HPV vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes after a vaccination can help prevent fainting and injuries.
How Did I Get It
More often than not, its simple: You had sex. Any type of sex can lead to infection, whether thats vaginal, oral, or anal sex.
Its also possible to get it from skin-to-skin contact with the part of your partners body thats infected, or from shared sex toys.
You wont get it from holding hands, swimming in pools or hot tubs, or sharing food. You also wont get it from objects like toilet seats or utensils.
Youre more at risk for getting HPV if you have unprotected sex, or sex with multiple partners. But even if youve only been with one person, you can still get it if your partner has been with someone else.
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How Can I Prevent Hpv
Vaccines are available that can protect against the most common types of HPV that cause cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that Canadians get vaccinated to reduce their risk of HPV-related cancer.
Get vaccinated or have your children vaccinated through school-based programs where available. If you are not eligible for a free vaccination, talk to your doctor about which vaccine is right for you and when you should have it.
If you are sexually active, use a condom and other barriers safely to help protect against HPV.
Condoms or other barriers such as an oral dam can reduce HPV infection if put on before skin-to-skin sexual contact. However, areas not covered by these barriers still allow some skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. Using these barriers will reduce but not eliminate the risk of HPV infection.
Will The Vaccine Help If I Already Have Hpv
The vaccine won’t cure any HPV infection you already have. However, there are many strains of HPV, so you should still get the vaccine to protect you against other strains you may not have been exposed to yet.
If you have already had sex but don’t know if you have HPV, you should still get the HPV vaccine. HPV infection usually happens soon after someone has sex for the first time, but a person might not have been exposed to any or all of the HPV types that are in the vaccine. Anyone in the age groups recommended for vaccination is likely to get some protection from the vaccine.
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What Are The Hpv Vaccine Ingredients
The HPV vaccine contains no viruses and is not made from human papillomavirus. The active ingredients in the HPV vaccine are proteins that are similar to those found in the human papillomavirus. Genetically modified bacteria produce the proteins, which are then purified and mixed into a sterile, water-based solution.
Gardasil: Protection From What
Just to catch up the uninitiated, the Gardasil vaccine came out in 2008, with use in men approved in 2009. But what does Gardasil actually do? The vaccine covers the four strains that put you at highest risk for cancer and genital warts. While this is awesome, letâs dig a bit into the reasons why Gardasil won’t entirely protect you from HPV or cervical cancer:
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Why Adults Should Get The Hpv Vaccine
HPV infection is extremely common. Most sexually active people will be infected with HPV at some point in life. More than 42 million people in the United States are infected with HPV and most of them donât know it. It spreads easily among infected partners. HPV infection usually causes no symptoms, but can cause genital warts and anal cancer in both women and men. HPV can also cause throat cancer.
In women, HPV infection can cause cells in the cervix to grow abnormally. In a small fraction of women, these HPV-induced changes will develop into cervical cancer. About 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year and about 4,000 women die from the condition.
The HPV vaccine prevents infection by the HPV types responsible for most cervical cancers. Up until 2017, there were two vaccines available . Today, Gardasil 9 is the only available HPV vaccine in the U.S.
Gardasil 9 prevents infection by the same HPV types as Gardasil, plus HPV-31, HPV-33, HPV-45, HPV-52, and HPV-58. Collectively, these types are implicated in 90% of cervical cancers. In October 2018, the FDA approved Gardasil9 for everyone ages 9 through 45
The American Cancer Societys Recommendations For Hpv Vaccine Use
- Girls and boys should get 2 doses of the HPV vaccine between the ages of 9 to 12.
- Teens and young adults age 13 through 26 who have not been vaccinated, or who havent gotten all their doses, should get the vaccine as soon as possible. Vaccination of young adults will not prevent as many cancers as vaccination of children and teens.
- The ACS does not recommend HPV vaccination for persons older than age 26 years.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in health care check-ups and annual physicals being put on hold, including visits for routine vaccinations. Learn important information that can help you plan a safe return to well-child visits in Getting Essential Childhood and Adolescent Vaccines During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
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Who Should Get The Vaccine
Gardasil® and Gardasil®9
Gardasil® and Gardasil®9 are approved for use in females aged 9-45 and males aged 9-26.
These vaccines require 3 doses to be given over the course of 6 months . For healthy, immunocompetent, non-HIV infected individuals 9 to less than 15 years age, two doses of the vaccine at least 6 months apart may be given.
- Recommendations for use, which come from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization , were initially released in February 2007, and updated in January 2012, 2015, 2016, and 2017 as new evidence emerged. NACI recommends Gardasil® and Gardasil®9 in females and males 9 to less than 27 years of age, including women who have had previous Pap test abnormalities, cervical cancer or individuals who have previously had genital warts. NACI also recommends that these vaccines may be administered to individuals 27 years of age and older at ongoing risk of exposure to HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection, and ideally, the vaccine should be administered before sexual debut in order to ensure maximum benefit.
For more details on the NACI Statement, see “Update on Human Papillomavirus Vaccines”.
Cervarix®
Cervarix® is approved for use in females aged 9 to 45. At this time Cervarix® has not been approved for use in males in Canada.
The vaccine requires 3 doses to be given over the course of 6 months . For healthy, immunocompetent, non-HIV infected females 9 to less than 15 years age, two doses of the vaccine at least 6 months apart may be given.
How Many Shots Are There For The Hpv Vaccine
The vaccine is given in a series. The number of shots you need varies depending on the age you are at your first dose.
- Anyone getting the vaccine prior to age 15 needs two doses of the HPV vaccine to be fully protected. They should be given six to twelve months apart.
- If you are 15 through 26 years old, you need three doses. You will need a second dose one to two months after your first dose. Then you will need a third dose six months after the first dose.
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How Has The Hpv Vaccination Programme Changed
In July 2018, it was announced that the HPV vaccine would be extended to boys aged 12 to 13 years in England.
This decision was based on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation , the independent body that advises UK health departments on immunisation.
Since the 2019 to 2020 school year, both 12- to 13-year-old boys and girls in school Year 8 have been eligible for the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccination programme has been extended to prevent more boys and girls getting HPV-related cancers, such as head and neck cancers and anal and genital cancers.
A catch-up programme for older boys is not necessary as evidence suggests they’re already benefiting greatly from the indirect protection that’s built up from 10 years of the girls’ HPV vaccination programme.
Hpv Testing And Treatment
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a helpful resource for understanding Pap and HPV tests.
What tests can a woman have related to HPV?
Two tests for women are available:
- Pap test A Pap test is done by scraping some cells from the cervix and examining them microscopically. A normal result means your cells looked as expected an abnormal result means that the cells appeared to have undergone some changes. This does not mean you have cervical cancer. In some cases the cell changes are minor and will return to normal when tested in the future. In other cases the changes are more dramatic and need to be monitored more closely.
- HPV test The HPV test determines if the human papillomavirus is present in the cervix.
Find out if you qualify for free or reduced cost screening through the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and where near you offers the program.
Can HPV tests replace Pap tests?
No, HPV tests should not replace routine Pap tests for two reasons:
Is there a test to determine if I have HPV?
When a person is tested for STDs is HPV testing included?
I got all necessary doses of the HPV vaccine. Do I still need to get Pap tests?
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