HPV Vaccine Can Be Your Shield Against Cervical Cancer. Know How

Written by: Dr. Nitika Makhija Reviewed by: Dr. Swati Mishra

[{"selector":"#anim-6dc1d7cb-ea5a-4d3d-959c-f458d8bc07e5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c7a73102-bd7d-4ed6-9f37-1a32f4e6a19b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 131.30719%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] HPV, or human papillomavirus, is the name of a prevalent group of viruses that commonly cause sexually transmitted infections. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

[{"selector":"#anim-7ad42231-2046-4f86-9366-e59d023d8fde","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b8e712b7-e6b3-4d1a-b7bc-2219e54cad98","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 132.34396%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Although most HPV infections resolve themselves, persistent HPV infections are strongly associated with cervical cancer. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Being vaccinated is the best way to prevent cervical cancer.

[{"selector":"#anim-841997d3-a9c2-41ae-9ab9-1b81fc235803","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-117.0418%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-04986d5b-cf5e-426d-8b86-dfccc582607c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c577e7c9-52c6-4a4f-ace9-1fb60a0e9116","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

Here’s How HPV Vaccination Can Help

[{"selector":"#anim-2a369017-31b8-4606-920e-c6efd17bd1df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1f0241d7-640d-455a-918d-19f814832c8e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 470.48108%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Safeguards Against Cervical Cancer

[{"selector":"#anim-c96b363c-45a4-4fa0-b432-114eebbb48cd","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62939d7a-e5ae-4488-b2af-b94ecad44fdf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 119.54251%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30eab21b-5514-431c-b258-22b00e80099e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e1942bc-e440-404f-a035-1c6ae23974ca","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 406.30194%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The vaccine targets HPV strains 16 and 18, which cause most cervical cancer cases, and greatly lowers the risk of developing the disease. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Herd Immunity Effect

[{"selector":"#anim-103ab5c4-9758-46a9-ac8b-94dbba402012","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-73958f28-b158-4a73-a0ab-ef01123bd614","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 132.34396%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0eb114bf-2c1e-412d-b755-9b9e9404c96f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07380d23-d673-4dba-a5db-ce013938abea","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 617.28427%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Widespread vaccination can lead to a reduction in HPV prevalence in the population, including among unvaccinated individuals. Photo Credit: Shutterstock

Long-lasting Protection

[{"selector":"#anim-443c27ee-1350-4f69-95c1-6726041db2f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e04f217-68de-4a93-9325-0754d71052f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 151.42332%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-710fedf9-ceaa-48e1-ad5c-ae58777b248d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f40ecab-38f4-4c48-a739-744893b176cc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 361.52589%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The HPV vaccine provides long-term immunity in preventing cervical cancer throughout a woman’s life. Photo Credit: Shutterstock