Why Preteens and Teens Need the HPV Vaccine
If you could protect your child from cancer, would you? That’s the question to ask when considering the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
The HPV vaccine “is the first vaccine that protects against several types of cancer, which is amazing,” says Tanya Nauenberg, M.D., a pediatrician with Sutter Health in Santa Cruz. Among teen girls, infections with the viruses that cause most HPV cancers have dropped 88% since the vaccine became available in 2006, according to the CDC. “This is life changing,” she says.
The risk of HPV is real and widespread. About 85% of unvaccinated people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives. It’s the most common sexually transmitted disease and leads to about 37,000 cancers every year.
In fact, deaths from HPV-related cancer surpass deaths from tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis and meningococcal disease combined, says Dr. Nauenberg. Yet doctors say more than 90% of those cancers could be prevented by the vaccine.
Why start so young?
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends girls and boys get the vaccine starting at age 9 to 12. Understandably, you may feel your preteen is awfully young to be thinking about sex. But it’s crucial to get immunized before a first sexual encounter because HPV transmits through sex — including vaginal, oral and anal sex and even intimate skin- and mucous-membrane contact. (Condoms can reduce HPV spread, but the virus can infect skin not covered by condoms.)
Adolescents who get their first HPV vaccine before age 15 only need two doses, while older teens need three doses. Why? Preteens produce more antibodies to the vaccine than older teens.
Once someone becomes infected with HPV, the vaccine won’t protect against the HPV virus variants already in their system, though it may help against other strains. The vaccine is recommended up to age 26. Some people aged 27 to 45 might choose to get the HPV vaccine after discussion with their doctor if they weren’t adequately vaccinated when younger.
How safe is the HPV vaccine?
“This vaccine has been monitored for more than 18 years, and found to be very safe and effective,” says Dr. Nauenberg.
The most common side effects of the HPV vaccine are usually mild. Soreness where you got injected, tiredness, headache, joint pain or nausea and perhaps a low fever. “We have kids stay in the office for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine to make sure they don’t feel faint or light-headed,” she says.
What are genital warts?
If you’re worried that your teen or preteen may view the vaccine as a green light for sexual activity, take a breath. Numerous studies indicate absolutely no correlation between receiving the HPV vaccine and initiating or increasing sexual activity.
Could vaccination eliminate cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death among American women. And although about 4,360 women still die each year from cervical cancer, the rates have declined 11% every year among women aged 20 to 24, thanks mostly to the HPV vaccine.
The World Health Organization says this vaccine “provides a path to elimination” of cervical cancer. Now that, Dr. Nauenberg says, “is truly amazing!”
What to know about HPV vaccine dosing
Two doses of the HPV vaccine are recommended for most people who are vaccinated before age 15. The second dose should be given 6-12 months after the first dose. Teens who receive the doses less than 5 months apart will require a third dose of the vaccine.
If your child starts the HPV vaccine at or after age 15, three doses are recommended.
Find out more about HPV vaccine safety from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.