January was Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, and even though cervical cancer typically occurs in US women around 50 years old, it’s still at the forefront of my mind as a pediatrician because the prevention of cervical cancer begins during childhood in the form of the HPV vaccine. 

HPV is Human Papilloma Virus. There are more than 200 different types of HPV, but 9 of them are linked to nearly all cases of cervical cancer, mouth and throat cancer, genital cancer in men and women, and genital warts. The HPV vaccine called Gardasil contains these 9 HPV types in an effort to prevent these cancers.  

Because HPV is the most commonly transmitted sexually transmitted disease, getting the vaccine series completed before a person ever had sex is the key to protecting them against the HPV strains that can cause cancer. Once a person has been infected with these HPV types, the vaccine is ineffective. Therefore, the HPV vaccine can be given starting at 9 years old. It is 2 doses if the first is given before 15 years old, and 3 doses if the first is given at 15 years or older.  

The HPV vaccine is given to both males and females because it prevents cancer in both groups and because less transmission in everyone means less infection overall. 

Large research studies have shown the vaccine to be safe with local injection site reactions being the biggest problem. Other research has demonstrated that when all doses of the vaccine were given in females before they were ever exposed to HPV, it was 97% effective at preventing cervical cancer. 

The HPV vaccine is safe, it works, and it prevents many different kinds of cancers in males and females. 

For more information about the HPV vaccine, check out https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/. You can make an appointment for your child to be seen at the Southern Ute Health Center to get their HPV vaccine or talk about anything else by calling 970-563-4581.