Dear Mary Jo,

I have heard about the HPV vaccine for girls and I am interested in possibly getting my daughter vaccinated. She is 10 years old. Is she old enough and what does it protect against? Also my husband does not think it is a good idea because it will encourage her to be sexually active at a younger age. I disagree. What are your thoughts?

-Christy in Houston

Dear Christy,

Your questions are so important and many parents are struggling with the same issue right now. We want to protect our girls from the cervical cancer and we know that vaccinating them from HPV is one of the ways we can do that. Your husband’s concern is one shared by many parents also. In fact it is a myth that teaching your daughters about sexual health as well as their bodies causes them to have sex. In fact it is just the opposite. The girls that understand how their bodies work as well as how their reproductive cycles function engage in sex less then the girls that are not educated or made aware of their bodies, hormones and their menstrual cycles. Teaching your daughter about the HPV vaccine, as well as why it is important for her to abstain from sex before the age of eighteen, are very important. Research supports that knowledge is power. The age recommended for the HPV vaccine is 9 to 12 years.

To answer the rest of your question about the vaccine I asked my co-author, Janine Sherman, of our book “Start Talking: A girl’s guide for you and your mom about health, sex or whatever.” Janine is a nurse practitioner and works with teens and their moms about gynecological issues.

What is HPV and who is at risk?

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) lives in cells of the skin and the lining of a woman’s genital area that can be passed from person to person through intimate contact. The disease is very contagious and 8 out of 10 adult may be infected. There are many types of HPV that can affect a woman, but these can be divided into low risk and high risk categories. Low risk types can cause minor abnormalities, but do not go on to cause cancer or other serious diseases. High risk types are responsible for causing most of the cervical cancer and genital warts in women. The highest risk factor for acquiring the virus is people with multiple sexual partners.

How can you prevent HPV infection?

Until now, the only way to reduce the chance of getting HPV was through routine use of condoms and limiting the number of sexual partners. Recently the FDA approved a vaccine that prevents four of the most common strains of high risk HPV. These strains are responsible for 70% of cervical cancer and 90% of genital warts. The vaccine’s main ingredients are purified proteins that come from the different strains of the virus, but you cannot get the infected by the viral proteins in the vaccine. The vaccine is given by a series of 3 injections in the arm. After the first shot is given, the subsequent shots are given 2 and 6 months later. The complete series of three vaccine shots is necessary to get the full benefit and protection. The most common side effects the vaccination are pain, swelling, itching, and redness at the injection site, and fever. Some insurers cover the cost but others do not; it is expected that eventually it will be universally covered as a necessary preventive health measure. The cost of the vaccine from the pharmacy is approximately $125 per dose, plus the injection fee from your health care provider.

Christy, I hope Janine’s insight, as well as our book, can help you make the decision that will be the most helpful and healthy for your daughter. For more information please go to: www.maryjorapini.com

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