Hearing the C word is devastating to anybody. Despite our best efforts, many people are diagnosed with cancer each day, however, there is one cancer we can prevent: cervical cancer.
What you might not know is that cervical cancer is caused by an STD known as human papillomavirus, or HPV. There are many different strains of the virus, some are less harmful than others, so it won’t always lead to cancer. But if it does cause cervical cancer it’s due to the virus’s ability to disrupt the lining of the cervix, which can result in an abnormal growth.
Unlike other STDs, HPV can be spread even when you use a condom, though the chances are significantly smaller than when you have unprotected sex. What makes it difficult to detect is the fact that the virus shows no symptoms, so you may not even know you have it. This makes it very easy to spread if you don’t go for regular health check-ups or pap smears.
The best defence against HPV is the HPV vaccine. This protects you from the HPV virus and significantly reduces your chances of developing cervical cancer. The only downside is that it’s only effective if you’ve never had HPV before.
If you’re sexually active, regardless of the time frame, you may already be infected with the virus – yip, it’s that common and that easily spread. For this very reason, it’s very important for young girls – between the ages of 9 and 12 – to be vaccinated against it.
Visit your local clinic or GP for more information on where and how you can get your daughter vaccinated.
If you’re looking for great Sexual Health tips, subscribe to our Women’s Sexual Health Tip Module today!
Read more:
South African Schoolgirls to get HPV Immunisation
What is Human Papilloma Virus?
HPV