Young Women in the Community
Most women understand the importance of regular Pap smears once they are sexually active, to detect the early signs of cervical cancer. Now, there’s another way women can protect themselves, because there is a new vaccine that can prevent most cervical cancers.
The vaccine works by immunising women against certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that are known to cause 7 out of 10 cervical cancers. The vaccine also guards against the strains of HPV that cause 9 out of 10 cases of genital warts.
HPV is very common – it affects men and women, and 4 out of 5 people will have it at some point in their lifetime. The virus lives on the skin, so it can be spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. That means women can still get it even if they practice safe sex, or only ever have one sexual partner. Usually the body clears the virus by itself but in some cases cervical cancer can develop.
If you are under 27, you can participate in the National HPV Vaccination Program. From July 2007 to June 2009, you can get the vaccine free from your local GP or community immunisation clinic.
Even if you are already sexually active, speak to your GP about getting immunised. You may still benefit from the vaccine because there is still a good chance you have not yet been exposed to the specific HPV types that can cause cervical cancer.
Unfortunately, the vaccine doesn’t prevent all cervical cancers. That’s why it’s still very important for all women to keep up to date with regular Pap smears. You should have a Pap smear every two years from the age of 18, or two years after having sex, whichever is later.
More Information:
- Frequently Asked Questions for Young Women in the Community. This page is updated periodically and contains more detailed information.
- You can also download the Brochure for Young Women in the Community (PDF 251 KB). The brochure contains similar information to the Frequently Asked Questions page.
Page currency, Latest update: 23 March, 2007
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