How to Avoid Cervical Cancer

Some 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. This occurs when cells in the cervix become abnormal and start to grow uncontrollably. About 15 of the 40 types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) contracted through sex can cause cervical cancer. Most women's bodies fight off HPV on their own, but those whose bodies do not are at a high risk for cervical cancer. Fortunately, this is one of the most treatable-and preventable-cancers.

Instructions

Be proactive

• 1

  If you are a young woman between the ages of 11 and 37, get the HPV vaccine. This protects against the two most common forms of HPV which cause two-thirds of all cervical cancer cases.

• 2

  Schedule a regular screening. Go see a doctor for a pap smear starting at the age of 20, or when you become sexually active. Pap smears can detect abnormal cells before they become cancerous. Yearly screenings and the vaccine are your best bets to avoid cervical cancer.

• 3

  Follow up on abnormal pap smears. If your pap smear is abnormal that does not mean you have cancer, it only means that the cells on your cervix look irregular. A more in-depth screening will determine if further action needs to be taken. Abnormal cells can be removed with little discomfort or effect on sexual activity.

• 4

  Limit sexual partners. The more partners you have the more likely you are to get HPV. Also, the more partners your significant other has had, the more likely you are to get HPV. The only sure way to avoid cervical cancer is by abstaining from sex, but by limiting your partners you are decreasing your chances of contracting the disease.

• 5

  Quit smoking and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Smoking is a known cause for many cancers. For cervical cancer, it accelerates the growth of abnormal cells in the cervix, making it more difficult to detect and remove the cells in their pre-cancerous stage. Smoking more than doubles the risk of cervical cancer. Fortunately, after you quit, this risk decreases significantly.