Cervical Awareness to Protect Your Health
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month, a time to focus on something that often gets overlooked, cervical health. Life gets busy, and check-ups can slip through the cracks, but learning about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), screening, and vaccines can make a big difference for your future.
HPV is extremely common. Almost everyone who is sexually active will get it at some point. Most infections clear up on their own, but some linger and can lead to cervical changes or cancer later in life. About 13,000 new cervical cancer cases are expected in the U.S. this year, and thousands of lives are lost because the disease wasn’t caught early (American Cancer Society).
The good news is that prevention works. HPV vaccines can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancers, and regular screening, like Pap tests or HPV tests, can catch changes before they become serious. These steps have already made a huge impact: precancerous conditions among young adults have dropped by nearly 80% since the vaccine became widely available, and cervical cancer deaths have fallen dramatically (CDC).
According to the CDC “Vaccination works best when given early, around ages 11 or 12, but it’s still helpful through age 26 and sometimes up to 45 after talking with your provider. Screening matters too: starting at age 21, a Pap test every three years is recommended, and after 30 you can add HPV testing every five years.”
Start today by asking about the HPV vaccine if you haven’t had it yet. Schedule your screening if it’s been a while. If your results show changes, follow up treatment can remove abnormal cells before they turn into cancer.
Our team is here to help and answer questions and assist with scheduling or health concerns. Reach out today and take the first step toward protecting your health. Your well-being matters.
