What Every Parent of a Pre-Teen Should Know About Preventing HPV

Published on: April 10, 2016

The Human Papillomavirus or HPV has long been on the radar for women’s health concerns, especially cervical cancer. Now there is a vaccination that can be given to young women to prevent HPV and reduce their risk of cancer. However, this vaccination isn’t just for girls. Any parent that has a boy or a girl that is eleven or twelve years of age should consider getting their child vaccinated. HPV does not just increase risks of female cancers; it can also reduce the risk of cancers in males as well.

Did you know that almost 10,000 men each year are diagnosed with cancer related to the HPV virus? For women, it is almost twice as many, with an estimated 18,000 reported cases. The new FDA approved vaccinations for HPV can help reduce these numbers, especially if pre-teens receive the injections before they become sexually active, usually receiving vaccination around the age or eleven or twelve.

One of the FDA-approved vaccinations for HPV is Gardasil. This injection is given over six months, usually with three doses. This vaccination helps prevent the spread of the HPV virus and can also help prevent genital warts. Both boys and girls of this age can benefit from the vaccination, reducing their risk of HPV related cancers and other issues caused by this sexually transmitted disease.

For many years, HPV was considered a female issue due to its risk for female related cancers. Now it is understood that both men and women are at risk, plus through vaccination of both sexes, the spread of this harmful virus can be curtailed. Protect your child from risk of HPV by talking to your local OB/GYN clinic about receiving Gardasil vaccinations.

Posted on behalf of
Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.
699 Church Street #220
Marietta, GA 30060
(770) 422-8505

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