[midwife]

Hi Yodagirl,
I would respectfully disagree with the advice you received. There are 4 bad HPV types (6, 11, 16, 18) and unless there is documentation that you have been diagnosed with all 4 cancer-causing types, then the vaccine would still be helpful.

Here is a link to the Merck site FAQ:
http://www.gardasil.com/who-should-r...-gardasil.html

Currently it is recommended for ages 9-25, because that is the age group that is more likely to be exposed and also because the cervix of a younger woman is a bit more immature and the cells are more likely to interact poorly with HPV than those of us with more experienced cervixes. : )

MummyTummy, pregnancy is certainly not a contraindication for a colposcopy now. I suppose it might have been 12 years ago...that was before my time in women's health. When women are pregnant, their immune systems are a bit compromised, so sometimes HPV can cause problems that a non-pregnant woman's body would take care of. That is, when you weren't pregnant anymore, your body kicked HPV's tush.

Andrea is correct that it is the virus that causes problems. Often there are "co-contributors"...pregnancy, age (immature cervix), smoking (heck if I know why though!). Condoms can help, but HPV can reside in areas that are not covered by condoms.

It is pretty awesome that there is a vaccine that can pretty much eliminate a cancer. What an amazing era we live in!

[Sheila53]

Thank you so much for all this great information! My DD should be getting all the records from her doctor soon so we'll know more. And she's been looking into low-cost health clinics. It's good to know that the procedure isn't outrageously expensive.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply--I really appreciate it.

[blueberry3]

My roomate had an abnormal pap recently and it ends up she has precancerous cells, have her get it checked out. I hope everything is ok!

[Jen415]

Another HPV girl here....I do have high risk and low-risk strains. I have had three colposcopies and imagine I will have at least one a year. I have Paps anywhere from 2-4 times a year depending on what is found. Until a cure/better treatment is made, this will be my course in life forever, or unless I have a hysterectomy to remove my cervix. Thank goodness I've been okay so far.

If you or your daughters are young enough to get the vaccine--GET IT. Unless you are becoming a nun and taking a vow of chastity, EVERYONE will be sexually active at some point, which means EVERYONE will be at risk. Condoms are not 100% effective for anything (although using them cuts the risks down considerably).

Okay, now my PSA is done....

[WildWoman]

My expierience was exactly like someone posted earlier-had some stuff swabbed on that made the abnormal cells glow-which were then removed and biopsied. (they said about the size of a grain of rice-and got them all) Some cramping and slight discharge followed. The cells were not cancerous after all.
I have my reproductive services handled by Planned Parenthod as I have no insurance, they also work in conjunction with the state university where I went for the procedure at no cost.
Best of luck.
WW

[Mummy_Tummy]

Andrea is correct that it is the virus that causes problems. Often there are "co-contributors"...pregnancy, age (immature cervix), smoking (heck if I know why though!). Condoms can help, but HPV can reside in areas that are not covered by condoms.

Yeah, I understand that, really. What I am asking is WHERE does the virus come from? Is it picked up from infected women and then passed on to the next, like any other STD? I mean, if you are in a monogomous relationship and then end up with HPV, are you gonna have to start seriously questioning your partner or what? LOL, I'm sorry if this sounds abrupt...I just can't think how else to phrase my question so it's understood!

[midwife]

Ok, sorry I did not answer better. HPV is transmitted skin to skin. The cancer causing HPV is transmitted genitals to genitals. So someone gets it from sex and then gives it to someone else via sex. It can be dormant, however, so if someone is in a monogamous relationship and suddenly tests positive, it does not mean that one or the other has been messing around. One partner or the other partner may have simply been harboring dormant HPV, and then the HPV wakes up.
Does that make sense?

[Mummy_Tummy]

Yup, sure does. Thanks for the clarification. I just wish more women were aware of this. We not only have to worry about pregnancies, STDs, AIDS, but cancer, as well!

Thank you, Midwife. I appreciate your time.