Already received my HPV vaccine today!
No pain, no dizzy,no feeling uncomfortable!
Why is the HPV vaccine important?
Genital HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to
another through direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity.
Most sexually active people will get HPV at some time in their lives,
though most will never even know it. HPV infection is most common in
people in their late teens and early 20s. There are about 40 types of
HPV that can infect the genital areas of men and women. Most HPV types
cause no symptoms and go away on their own. But some types can cause
cervical cancer in women and other less common cancers— like cancers of
the anus, penis, vagina, and vulva and oropharynx (back of throat
including base of tongue and tonsils). Other types of HPV can cause
warts in the genital areas of men and women, called genital warts.
Genital warts are not life-threatening. But they can cause emotional
stress and their treatment can be very uncomfortable. Every year, about
12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 4,000 women die
from this disease in the U.S. About 1% of sexually active adults in the
U.S. have visible genital warts at any point in time.
Which girls/women should receive HPV vaccination?
HPV vaccination is recommended with either vaccine for 11 and 12
year-old girls. It is also recommended for girls and women age 13
through 26 years of age who have not yet been vaccinated or completed
the vaccine series; HPV vaccine can also be given to girls beginning at
age 9 years.
Will sexually active females benefit from the vaccine?
Ideally females should get the vaccine before they become
sexually active and exposed to HPV. Females who are sexually active may
also benefit from vaccination, but they may get less benefit. This is
because they may have already been exposed to one or more of the HPV
types targeted by the vaccines. However, few sexually active young women
are infected with all HPV types prevented by the vaccines, so most
young women could still get protection by getting vaccinated.
Can pregnant women get the vaccine?
The vaccines are not recommended for pregnant women. Studies show
that HPV vaccines do not cause problems for babies born to women who
were vaccinated while pregnant, but more research is still needed. A
pregnant woman should not get any doses of either HPV vaccine until her
pregnancy is completed.
Getting the HPV vaccine when pregnant is not a reason to
consider ending a pregnancy. If a woman realizes that she got one or
more shots of an HPV vaccine while pregnant, she should do two things:
- Wait until after her pregnancy to finish the remaining HPV vaccine doses.
- Call the pregnancy registry [800-986-8999 for Gardasil or 888-452-9622 for Cervarix].
Should girls and women be screened for cervical cancer before getting vaccinated?
Girls and women do not need to get an HPV test or Pap test to
find out if they should get the vaccine. However it is important that
women continue to be screened for cervical cancer, even after getting
all 3 shots of either HPV vaccine. This is because neither vaccine
protects against ALL types of cervical cancer.
How effective are the HPV Vaccines?
The vaccines target the HPV types that most commonly cause
cervical cancer. One of the vaccines (Gardasil) also protects against
the HPV types that cause most genital warts. Both vaccines are highly
effective in preventing the targeted HPV types, as well as the most
common health problems caused by them.
The vaccines are less effective in preventing HPV-related
disease in young women who have already been exposed to one or more HPV
types. That is because the vaccines prevent HPV before a person is
exposed to it. HPV vaccines do not treat existing HPV infections or
HPV-associated diseases.
How long does vaccine protection last?
Research suggests that vaccine protection is long-lasting.
Current studies have followed vaccinated individuals for six years, and
show that there is no evidence of weakened protection over time.
What does the vaccine not protect against?
The vaccines do not protect against all HPV types— so they will
not prevent all cases of cervical cancer. About 30% of cervical cancers
will not be prevented by the vaccines, so it will be important for
women to continue getting screened for cervical cancer (regular Pap
tests). Also, the vaccines do not prevent other sexually transmitted
infections (STIs). So it will still be important for sexually active
persons to lower their risk for other
STIs.
Will girls and women be protected against HPV and related diseases, even if they don’t get all 3 doses?
It is not yet known how much protection girls and women get from
receiving only one or two doses of an HPV vaccine. So it is very
important that girls and women get all 3 doses.
How safe are the HPV vaccines?
Both vaccines have been licensed by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA). The CDC has approved these vaccines as safe and
effective. Both vaccines were studied in thousands of people around the
world, and these studies showed no serious safety concerns. Side effects
reported in these studies were mild, including pain where the shot was
given, fever, dizziness, and nausea. Vaccine safety continues to be
monitored by CDC and the FDA. More than 46 million doses of HPV vaccine
have been distributed in the United States as of June 2012.
Fainting, which can occur after any medical procedure, has also
been noted after HPV vaccination. Fainting after any vaccination is
more common in adolescents. Because fainting can cause falls and
injuries, adolescents and adults should be seated or lying down during
HPV vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes after a
vaccination can help prevent fainting and injuries.
What about vaccinating boys and men?
Gardasil was found to be safe and effective for males 9 -26
years. ACIP recommends routine vaccination of boys aged 11 or 12 years
with 3-doses of Gardasil. The vaccination series can be started
beginning at age 9 years. Vaccination is recommended for males aged 13
through 21 years who have not already been vaccinated or who have not
received all 3 doses. The vaccine is most effective when given at
younger ages; males aged 22 through 26 years may be vaccinated.
Sources(EN): 1)
HPV Vaccine Information For Young Women - Fact Sheet
2)HPV Vaccine
(CN): 1)
了解HPV疫苗 Understanding the HPV Vaccine