PROTECTING OUR DAUGHTERS

What parents should know about HPV, Cancer of cervix and the HPV vaccine.

You can protect your daughter from cancer of the cervix.

Cancer of the cervix is one of the most common cancers occuring in India.

Women in India die needlessly from cervical cancer because they don't get regular pap tests and they don't know about Hpv. You can protect your daughter. The HPV vaccine can reduce her chaces of getting cancer of the cervix. Make sure she gets the HPV vaccine.

What is HPV?

HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is a virus spread by sexual contact. It is very common. Without vaccine most people have HPV at some time in their life.
There are many types of HPV:
-Most of the times, HPV goes away and do not cause any health problems.
-Sometimes,HPV remain and cause changes in a woman's cervix(the lower part of the uterus). These chages can be found with a pap test. If they are not found in time,They could lead to cancer.
-Other times, HPV causes warts around the genital area.

How do people get HPV?
HPV is spread during close sexual contact.

What does HPV have to do with cervical cancer?
Two types of HPV(type 16 & 18) cause most cancers of the cervix.

Is there a vaccine to prevent HPV?
Yes,a vaccine is now available in India with brand names of Guardasil and Cervasil.
It protects against type 16 and 18 types of HPV.

Who should be vaccinated and when?
In India, girls should start being vaccinated from the age of 9-10 years. And the vaccine can be given upto the age of 26. The vaccine is a series of 3 injections.

It is important to make sure your daughter gets entire series of vaccine before thge age of 18yrs atleast. That will protect her from getting the main types of HPV that causes cancer of the cervix.