HPV Vaccine Singapore What You Need To Know
What is a HPV Vaccine? A.k.a Gardasil 9 Singapore
Topic: HPV Vaccine Singapore
HPV Vaccine, in the form of the vaccine Gardasil 9, is a vaccine that helps protect against Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The Human Papillomavirus can cause cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancers in females. In both females and males, the same virus can also cause genital warts and anal cancer. Gardasil 9 or the HPV vaccination therefore protects one against the abovementioned cancers and diseases.
Why is this vaccine Gardasil 9 important?
In Singapore, cervical cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer deaths in women age 15-44 years old.
Cervical Cancer risk is increased with:
- Smoking
- Multiple sexual partners
- Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
Having a HPV vaccine drastically reduces the chances of one contracting cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine also protects one from other forms of cancer as such anal cancer, vulvar cancer and vaginal cancer. It also protects against genital warts which may be caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Tags: Gardasil 9 Singapore / HPV Vaccine Singapore
The risks of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) and can affect anyone who is sexually active, both men and women.
There are 2 types of HPV – the low risk and high-risk types.
- Low-risk HPV can cause genital warts in both female and males. These are flesh coloured growths on the genitals, and they are infectious.
- High-risk HPV can cause increase the risk of cancer, such as cancer of the cervix, vulva, and vagina in women as well as anal cancer in men.
Most people infected with HPV show no sign and symptoms, this means they can transmit the HPV virus to others without knowing it, in any kind of sexual activity or skin to skin contact. The is also why HPV vaccine is recommended to anyone who is sexually active, to prevent such transmissions that may be hard to detect initially. – HPV Vaccine Singapore
CERVICAL CANCER CAN BE PREVENTED THROUGH VACCINATION
Gardasil 9 provides protection against 9 major strains of HPV, which includes HPV types 6,1, which can cause up to 90% of genital warts and types16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52 and 58 which can cause up to 90% vulva, vaginal and cervical cancers.
The HPV vaccine, however, does not treat the infection.
It can be given to both females and males from the age of 9 to 26 years old, ideally before the person starts becoming sexually active.
From the age of 9 – 14 years, 2 doses 6 months apart is recommended while those age 15-26, 3 doses will be recommended according to the schedule of 0, 2 and 6 months.
After the completion of HPV vaccination, all females who are sexually active and above the age of 25 should still undergo routine cervical cancer screening via a pap smear test every 3 years. – Gardasil 9 Singapore / HPV Vaccine Singapore
What is a Pap Smear?
Pap smear is a simple procedure (see: 8 Things You Need To Know About Pap Smear) that can be done in clinic to obtain some tissues from the neck of your womb, to look for early abnormal cell changes in the lining of the cervix before they become precancers or cancer.
Pap smear screening is very important as precancerous changes in the cervix typically show no symptoms.
So, remember cervical cancer is preventable.
Find out more about HPV Vaccine Gardasil 9 and Pap Smear by speaking with our female doctors; make an appointment today.
Call our Women’s Clinic @ +65 6976 5023 or drop us an email at hello@dtapclinic.com.sg.
Tags: Gardasil 9 Singapore, HPV Vaccine Singapore
