Top Cervical Cancer Prevention Techniques

One of the main causes of women’s death from all over the world, particularly in developing countries, is cervical cancer. It’s still extremely important to be aware of the numerous cervical cancer prevention strategies, even though the frequency of this disease in the United States is gradually decreasing.

Scientific studies have found that one of the most stoppable types of cancer that exhibits among women in the present is cervical cancer. In fact, thanks to the accessibility of Pap smear tests, the number of cervical cancer cases from all over the world has dropped over the past twenty years. But since there still are a lot of women that develop cervical cancer, this is not a reason to be complacent. As a way to decrease the danger of contracting the disease, women may use the cervical cancer prevention strategies presented below.

Since cervical cancer is caused by a group of viruses called the human papillomavirus (HPV), getting vaccines that fight these viruses is considered as the best among the cervical cancer prevention strategies. One of the kinds of HPV vaccines that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration is Gardasil, for example. This vaccine is recommended for women from ages 9 to 26 to prevent cervical cancer caused by HPV types 6, 11, 16 and 18. This type of vaccine is thought to be most effective amongst young women who haven’t started their sexual life yet.

Girls 11 to 12 years old should undertake routine HPV vaccine that will complete when they are 18 years old, suggests The American Chemical Society. It is said that it is best for vaccinated women to continue screening for cervical cancer, despite the fact that there has not been ant solid data that establishes that this type of vaccination should be administered to women from 19 to 29 years old.

Another one of the effective cervical cancer prevention strategies is getting a regular Pap smear. This test is considered to be the greatest defense against cervical cancer since it can detect changes in the cervix during their early stages, way before they develop into cancer. You may find out about cervical cancer screening guidelines, particularly how often you should have the test, from your gynecologist.

It’s extremely important to follow this up with regular Pap smears, or colposcopies, in case you get an abnormal Pap smear, along with proper consultation with your doctor. In case you’ve been treated for cervical dysplasia, you need to follow this up with regular Pap smears, or colposcopies as well, given the fact that these precancerous changes within the cervix can return and when they’re unnoticed, they turn into cervical cancer.

Knowing that the HPV virus is transported from person to person through sexual contact, carefulness in sexual activities represents one of the recommended cervical cancer prevention strategies. For example, the risk of having cervical cancer can be reduced by limiting the number of sexual partners, given the fact that studies have confirmed that women with many sexual partners usually have a higher chance of getting this disease. If possible, sexual abstinence should be practiced. You can also reduce the risk of getting HPV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases by using barrier defense or spermicidal gels throughout sexual intercourse.

Prevention is seen as better than the cure, as a well-known proverb says. It is best to practice these cervical cancer prevention strategies to lower the chances of having this disease.