It’s Cervical Health Awareness Month, so here’s a handy infographic. Does your cervix need a check up in 2013? Make an appointment at your local Planned Parenthood health center: http://bit.ly/Vnj9L2.
Ask us anything. No judgments.
HPV Vaccine and Transgender Women
Someone asked us:
Hi! I was just wondering about the HPV vaccine and recommendations for trans women. Since my legal sex is still ‘male,’ is it still a good idea for me to get the vaccine?
Depending on how old you are, it may be a great idea for you to get vaccinated.
There are two types of HPV vaccines in the US. Cervarix prevents against two strains of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancers as well as vaginal and anal cancers. The other vaccine is called Gardasil and it protects against these two cancer causing strains plus an additional two strains of HPV that cause 90% of genital warts. So regardless of gender, we recommend that anyone age 9-26 get the HPV vaccine.
What about folks older than 26? It’s likely that they have already been exposed to HPV and therefore the vaccine isn’t going to be as beneficial. But you can always talk with your health care provider about the specifics of your situation.
And btw, Planned Parenthood strives to provide LGBT-friendly health care. Find a health center.
-Nathan at Planned Parenthood
Are you still waiting to get the HPV vaccine?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, not enough people are getting vaccinated against HPV. The HPV vaccine can protect you against the types of HPV that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. We’ve got answers to common questions about the HPV vaccine on our website. Reblog this post to help get the word out about the HPV vaccine.
The HPV vaccine is a series of shots that protect against the types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause most cases of cervical cancer and genital warts. But a recent study reports that not all girls and young women who start the series get all three injections. In order to be protected, you gotta get all the shots. Click here to learn more about the HPV vaccine.
Hi there! So, are you watching this new show “Girls”? Y’know, the one that pretty much every single person on the internet seems to be talking about? On last week’s episode, Hannah finds out she has HPV and tries to figure out where she might have gotten it. When she asks the guy she’s sleeping with about it, he gets all offended and tells her he was just tested for HPV. Later, when Hannah meets up with her ex, he tells her there’s no HPV test for guys, so the other guy was obviously lying.
Turns out, Hannah’s ex-boyfriend is right. There isn’t an HPV test for cisgender men yet. And even though HPV almost always goes away without causing any problems, anyone with it can still spread it. HPV is really common, and most HPV infections have no harmful effect at all. But some types of HPV can cause genital warts, and others can potentially cause cancer. Here’s some good news: anybody can get the HPV vaccine. The vaccine works best in people who haven’t yet had sex or been exposed to HPV, which is why it’s not often given to people older than 26. But no matter who you are or how old you are, talk with a health care provider to find out if the HPV vaccine could help you.
