KIDS' SEXUAL HEALTH
Dear Dr. Jenni,
My daughter is 12 years old, and my gynecologist suggested I give her the HPV vaccine. I know that this is probably the right thing to do, yet I’m not sure if it’s really needed. I don’t want to give her an extraneous vaccine if she doesn’t need it, especially if it might make her sexually active.
—Worried Mom
Dear Worried,
Many parents worry that getting the HPV vaccine gives permission for their child to be sexually active. While HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection, with an estimated 79 percent infection rate, a vaccine is not about sexual activity; it’s about preventive medicine for optimum health.
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It’s like exercising on a daily basis to prevent potential health consequences like Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
The idea of this vaccine is that if HPV infections can be prevented, then so can many cases of cervical cancer.
However, you mention another issue here, and that is about relevancy and efficacy. The Journal of the American Medical Association ( JAMA) states that the issues surrounding the HPV vaccine are quite complex. While the vaccine targets the dominant four types of HPV, there are still 100 different types to consider. Furthermore, of the 15 most potentially cancerous strains, the vaccine only targets two.
In addition, long-term efficacy and safety are still in question. The vaccine is relatively young, and decade-long studies have yet to be conducted. Thus, how this vaccine works in the human body in 20 to 40 years is still unknown.
Many opt out of the vaccine because the human immune system is often able to clear the virus on its own. Others choose it for the potential protection of cancer. Rather than make your choice based on an implication of your daughter’s sexual activity, evaluate the potential risks against the potential benefits, and see what feels right for her health.
Read more QnA at The Boulder Weekly, Sophisticated SEX column: http://www.boulderweekly.com/articles.sec-123-1-sophisticated-sex.html
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