How to Avoid Cervical Cancer
Instructions
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Be proactive
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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