By Simiyu Nalianya: BSc Nutrition
There are several things women can do to decrease the risk of getting cervical cancer. This includes:
Have regular Pap testing: The reason that women have had such a drastic drop in cervical cancer cases and deaths in this country has been because of the Pap test and annual screening.
Get vaccinated: Three vaccines, called Gardasil, Gardasil 9, and Ceravix have been developed. Currently, only Gardasil 9 is available in the US.
The HPV vaccine is recommended for all individuals age 12-26. The US FDA has approved the vaccine for use up to age 45, however, not all insurance companies cover the HPV vaccine for individuals over the age of 26. These vaccines have been demonstrated to be effective in preventing infection with some strains of HPV, when given before a person is exposed to HPV. Even if you already have HPV, you can still be vaccinated. The vaccine can protect you from other types of HPV In addition to cervical cancer, HPV is also be a cause of vulvar, vaginal, penile and anal cancers and some head & neck cancers. It also causes genital warts and leads to abnormal Pap test results that result in further testing or treatment.
Don't start smoking, and if you are already a smoker, it is time to quit. Smoking has been shown to decrease the immune system’s ability to clear an HPV infection.
Women can limit their numbers of sexual partners, and delay the onset of sexual activity to reduce risk, as more partners increases the likelihood of infection.
Condom and/or dental dam (barrier method) use may decrease areas that are exposed but cannot prevent exposure entirely.