@MaineLonghorn --just make sure someone is doing a pelvic exam routinely. That part will still be needed to palpate your ovaries (assuming you still have them) for masses or abnormalities.
I read that studies show that the pelvic exam is not required anymore.
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/23/health/cervical-cancer-death-study/index.html
“We have a vaccine which can eliminate cervical cancer, like polio, that is currently available and only 40% of girls age 13 to 17 have been vaccinated,” Farley, co-author of the editorial, said. “This is an epic failure of our health care system in taking care of women in general, and minorities specifically.”
Why is all the blame on the health care system? The leading objection to the HPV vaccine is that it will lead to promiscuity (same argument against birth control and fact-based sex-ed). That’s a social issue, not a health care system issue. A significant chunk of the US population has deep objections/concerns to these sorts of things.
I agree. This isn’t an epic failure of our health care system. It’s an epic failure on the part of parents and legislators.
More needs to be done to protect innocent children from ignorant parents. And yes, I absolutely believe that not vaccinating your children means that you are ignorant and not acting in the best interest of your children. I also absolutely believe that when parents are intentionally putting their children in harm’s way- ie with not vaccinating- then it is up to the state to step in and protect that child.
(As always, since someone likes to point out every exception, this is only applicable to children who can actually receive vaccines.)
This whole idea of being “pro” vaccine is offensive. Do we also have to state that we are “pro” good nutrition? Pro K-12 schooling? Pro washing hands with soap and water after toileting? It is established, settled science. Stating that one is “pro” vaccine implies that there is an equally legitimate “con.” Stating that one is uncomfortable with the HPV vaccine … for what? Just a feeling? Why that one? What do you think is going to happen? Are you as worried about new food products? If you see a new brand of cookie or tomato sauce, do you wait a year before trying it to see if anything happens to anyone else?
That’s awesome if our kids who are vaccinated won’t have to worry about getting cervical cancer. D still needs her 3rd injection of HPV. S never got it because initially it wasn’t recommended for males. It is troubling that that so many didn’t receive the vaccine–definitely a failure.
Guys can get HPV-induced cancers… Oral cancers, cancers of that part that shall not be mentioned here, anal cancers…
https://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/HPVandMen-fact-sheet-February-2012.pdf
Yes, but they don’t recommend HPV for older men–only young men. S is 28 and older than the recommended age rage for vaccination.
I was not talking about your son, HImom - just providing info for folks who were wondering why anyone without a cervix might need the vaccine. 
During my second pregnancy I was exposed to measles during my second month. I had been vaccinated as a child, but my Dr. was concerned that I would have enough immunity now, as I was in my mid 30’s. This was a pregnancy planned well in advance. I would have had plenty of time to get boosters before becoming pregnant had I known.
Our allergist has had D get titers to know whether D needed vaccine boosters and then recommended any needed boosters.
I was so angry those few days while waiting to see if I would come down with measles, both with my Dr. that never mentioned boosters and with the family whose unvaccinated child I spent the morning rocking.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that, rb.
I’m making a note now to talk about this with the obgyn I’m meeting with in a few weeks to talk about potential pregnancies.
I had to get the MMR after my first child was born. My forward thinking Obgyn did bloodwork and suggested I get the shot immediately after giving birth, if I ever wanted to become pregnant again. I had it in the hospital.
A new study says that nearly half (45%) of American men have a genital HPV infection and 11% have been vaccinated. There’s also a high rate of infection in older men.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/nearly-half-us-men-genital-145100285.html
Here’s a link to the original study: http://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2598492
^Wow, that’s really scary.
Thank you for posting that, scout!
There’s a mumps outbreak in Washington state with close to 300 cases as of today. It sounds like around 1/3 of the sick were unvaccinated but the other were among people whose immunity has waned.
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mumps-outbreak-worsens-washington-state-300-reported-cases/story?id=45088351
Terrifying.
One of my best friends (who ironically? is getting her phd in immunology) is getting similar immune-suppression treatments to me. We were half-jokingly (in a dark humor sense) talking about how when outbreaks inevitably comes to our neck of the world, we’re going to hunker down in a bunker somewhere on U of M’s campus.
I really don’t know how much we were joking… 