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Q&A on HPV for Mothers

You’ve heard the TV ads, seen the articles—so what’s the buzz about HPV?

It’s one of the most common viruses, and some types of it can develop into cancers. Each year, 1,500 Canadian women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 580 women’s lives are claimed. That’s why the federal government earmarked $300 million toward provincial immunization programs across the country after Health Canada approved the vaccine.

There’s a lot of information out there on HPV these days, but if you’re considering having the vaccination for your daughter, you want the real facts. Our experts answer some of your most frequently asked questions about HPV and getting your daughter vaccinated.

What is HPV and why should I be concerned about it?

The Human Papillomavirus, or HPV as its better known, is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world today. An estimated 8 out of 10 Canadians get the virus at some point in their lives. Most types of HPV are harmless and clear up by themselves. Some infections can cause genital warts, but in rare cases some HPV types can develop into cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, or anus.

There is a vaccine against HPV that is highly effective at preventing 70% of cancerous HPV infections (types 16 and 18) and 90% of the HPV types that cause genital warts (types 6 and 11).

Should my daughter get the vaccine?

Having your daughter vaccinated against HPV is a decision that you can make to keep her safe and healthy. HPV spreads easily from person-to-person, and often there are no signs or symptoms. It’s the kind of infection that could be passed onto your child, and she won’t even know it. There is no blood test for HPV. Unless your daughter has an abnormal Pap test, she may never know she has the virus. An undiagnosed infection could develop into cancer.

But my daughter is too young to even think about sex. Isn’t it a little early to think about vaccinating her now?

Since the HPV vaccination was made to prevent HPV, not to treat it, it will work best before a girl becomes sexually active. It is recommended that all Canadian girls and young women aged 9 to 26 get vaccinated against HPV. Research tells us that HPV vaccination provides the strongest and most enduring protection (antibodies) for girls aged 9 to 13.

So even though your teen may not be sexually active right now, someday she may be. And since 8 out of 10 Canadians become infected with HPV during their lives, it is likely she will be exposed to HPV, the most common type of sexually transmitted infection in Canada.

My daughter is already sexually active. Is it too late for her to get vaccinated?

Vaccination is recommended for girls under 26, regardless of whether they have already had an HPV infection or are sexually active. It won’t cure an existing infection but is highly effective in preventing other types of HPV that are covered by the vaccine.

Is the vaccine safe? Are there any side effects?

Health Canada has approved HPV vaccination for girls and young women aged from 9 to 26. Few side effects have been reported, and the most common one is a short-lived soreness at the site of injection. You can’t get HPV from vaccination—it doesn’t contain any live or dead virus. Nor does it contain any preservatives, latex or antibiotics, such as thimerosal or mercury.

How do I protect my daughter from HPV?

HPV vaccination is the only highly effective way to prevent HPV infection, unless your daughter abstains from sex or has only one partner who has never had any other partners.

Consider having your daughter vaccinated when she is young. Vaccination works best for women who have not yet had sexual contact and have not been exposed to HPV. But even if your daughter is already sexually active, vaccination can still protect her against some or all of the four preventable HPV types, since she is not likely to have been exposed to all of them. Talk to your doctor or a health clinic about vaccination. The sooner the vaccination, the better.

If your daughter chooses to be sexually active, her best line of defence is always using a condom and limiting her number of partners. Remember: Condoms do not fully protect a person from HPV as they do not cover all of the skin that may be infected with the virus.

Once my daughter has been vaccinated does she still need Pap tests?

Tell your daughter about Pap tests and how important they are to her health as she gets older. HPV vaccination does not replace the need for regular Pap testing. The Pap test does not diagnose an HPV infection. It is used to detect cell changes in a woman’s cervix before they develop into cancer.

Treatments are available, if needed, for more severe cell changes. Young women should have their fist Pap test within 3 years of becoming sexually active, or by age 21.

For more information, visit www.hpvinfo.ca. Everything you need to know about preventing and treating HPV is online. Protect yourself and your daughter from HPV.