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The Importance of HPV Vaccination

Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is spread through sexual contact and can lead to a number of medical conditions, many of them life threatening. The HPV vaccine protects women from contracting the types of HPV that lead to these conditions

  1. Prevalence of HPV

    • HPV is an extremely common virus. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, 80% of women will contract a form of HPV by age 50.

    Prevention of Cervical Cancer

    • Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that in the U.S. alone, about 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, resulting in nearly 4,000 deaths annually. Hundreds of thousands more cases are diagnosed worldwide.

    Prevention of Other Cancers

    • HPV can also cause other types of genital cancers. Although less common than cervical cancer, genital cancers can be life threatening.

    Prevention of Genital Warts

    • The HPV vaccine also provides protection against genital warts. Although genital warts are not a life-threatening condition, they are highly contagious and treatment may be costly and cause significant discomfort.

    Timing

    • The HPV vaccine is most effective when given to girls who are not yet sexually active; therefore, it is important to get vaccinated at the recommended age, ideally 11-12 years old. However, it is sometimes given to girls as young as 9 and women through age 26.

    Dosage

    • People receiving the HPV vaccine get a series of three shots over several months. For full protection, all three injections must be received.

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