Should you vaccinate your daughter against HPV?
As parents, we’ll do anything to protect our children. We child-proof our homes, invest in car seats and bike helmets, and teach our kids about stranger danger. We try to be as proactive as possible in preventing any harm. Another way we can take action? Take steps to prevent human papillomavirus, or HPV.
HPV
None of us want to imagine that our daughter or son might be a candidate for a sexually transmitted disease, but HPV infection is very common and very easily acquired. In fact, an estimated nine million 15- to 24-year-olds are infected with the virus. By age 50, at least 80 percent of women will have acquired a genital HPV infection. It is the most common cause of an abnormal Pap smear.
If you’re wondering why this is important, it’s because HPV has been linked to cervical cancer. There are over 100 types of HPV. Fifteen to 20 of these types—especially types 16 and 18—can be factors in the development of cancer. Essentially all cervical cancer is caused by HPV viral infections.
Vaccines for HPV
There are two HPV vaccines that are currently approved in the United States: Gardasil® vaccinates against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, and Cervarix® vaccinates against types 16 and 18. HPV types 16 and 18 are linked with cervical cancer as well as certain other types of cancer, and types 6 and 11 cause most cases of genital warts.
Gardasil is approved for use in boys and girls between the ages of nine and 26 years. In boys, Gardasil is approved for prevention of genital warts. In girls, it is approved for prevention of genital warts as well as cancer or precancer of the cervix, vulva, and vagina. Cervarix is approved for use in girls between the ages of 10 and 25 years for the prevention of cancer or precancer of the cervix.
These vaccines are intended to prevent infection with certain types of HPV; they do not treat existing HPV infections. As a result, the vaccines are likely to be most effective when given before an individual becomes sexually active. Furthermore, because neither vaccine protects against all high-risk types of HPV, they do not completely eliminate the risk of HPV-related cancer.
Choosing Whether to Vaccinate
Both Gardasil and Cervarix are considered safe and effective. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination of girls ages 11 to 12 years. The vaccine can also be offered to girls as young as 9 as well as girls and women between the ages of 13 and 26.
Many are recommending that the vaccine be given to all girls regardless of previous sexual activity or documented HPV infections.
As a parent, only you can decide whether this is the right choice for your child. Speak with your physician about the risks and benefits of vaccinating.
