Human Papillomavirus is a cancer-causing infection of the anus, vagina, cervix, vulva, and mouth or throat area. The vaccine is administered to teens to ensure that your child does not get infected since there is no proper cure or treatment available for an HPV infection. HPV vaccine can only prevent an infection, and there are different types of vaccinations for Human Papillomavirus.
Safety concerns
Many research studies have shown that there is no serious side effect after the HPV vaccine is administered in your system. This is one of the vaccinations which does not contain any preservative commonly used in some vaccinations which is why the World Health Organisation has also not expressed any major concerns about the safety of HPV vaccine.
Vaccination types
There are many types of HPV vaccines, which are administered to prevent different variants of the infection. One HPV vaccine is designed to tackle 6, 11, 16 and 18 type of HPV infection while the other has been proven to prevent HPV type 16 and 18 infections. Both however efficiently administer antibodies which help fight off the infection the next time an attack is imminent.
No cure available
There is no proper treatment or cure available for Human Papillomavirus (HPV), other than getting the HPV vaccine administered to ward off and fight against most types of HPV infections. As they say, prevention is better than cure, which is why most HPV vaccines are only able to prevent common infection types.
Age is an important factor
Different types of HPV vaccines are suited for different age groups of women to be fully effective. Commonly the first shot of HPV vaccine is administered at the age of 9, after which other types are administered between the ages of 9 to 25 and 25 to 45. This is done to provide maximum protection from sexually transmitted infections after a certain age before women become sexually active.
Screening tests
Cervical cancer and genital warts are the most commonly caused HPV infections due to which regular Pap tests should be done to screen for these medical conditions after the age of 21 along with administering the right dose of HPV vaccine. Medical professionals recommend Pap tests or pap smear once in every three years to ensure there is no risk of developing a medical condition.
Duration and frequency
For the HPV vaccine to be effective, it is recommended three times in 6 months with the second shot administered a month after the first, the last shot being given during the sixth month. The schedule can be discussed with your family doctor or any reliable medical professional for alternatives.
Insurance coverage
Check with your insurance provider if HPV vaccine shots are covered in your term plan or not. There are certain limitations when it comes to HPV vaccine coverage, with age being the deciding factor. Publicly funded immunization programs cover the cost of vaccination for women of a certain age depending on the location and territory covered free of cost.
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