Advice - cervical cancer vaccine

[Holly Welford]

Ok, so I'm 15, 16 in a few weeks and I have been thinking for a while now that I am ready to have sex with my boyfriend of 8 months but I want to wait until I am 16 (the legal age in England).

I have spoke to my mother about this subject as I feel it is important I discuss it with her first and get her views.

Just after I was born my mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer, she had her womb removed and was fine after about a year, she told me before I have sex I need to have a cervial cancer vaccine to prevent me getting it but it will only work if I am a virgin.

I had no idea what a cervial cancer vaccine was so I looked it up and it said it was a course of 3 vaccinations in a period of about 9 months costing £150 a time.

I am still confused so I would be much obliged if anyone could answer these questions for me.

1. Do I need to be a virgin? If I have protected sex what difference does it make?

2. Is it worth me spending all this money and time on it?

I really am confused, is this just a ploy from my mother to make me keep my legs shut? Or something I really need to do??

Please reply

[cardoso]

Yes, worth the waiting.

It´s simple amazing, because those shots will protect you from a cancer that hits LOTS of women.

You must be a virgin, because sexual contact will introduce you to a whole lot of new organisms, including one or more variants of the cervical cancer virus. If your body is ready, and the vaccine helped to create a lot of antibodies, the virus will be killed, but if you are contamined BEFORE the vaccine, it´s too late. Virtually all sexually active people carry that virus, most are harmless, but will wreck the vaccine anyway.

About protected sex, I don´t think you should CONSIDER doing anything unprotected, vaccine or not vaccine. The problem is that even using condoms, you WILL exchange fluids sooner or later. Are you willing to take a chance and throw away the possibility of getting rid of such a nasty disease?

Take the shots. Buy a wall calendar, ask a doctor about the exact time-frame, and prepare a BIG party for both of you, 9 month from now. If your boyfriend is not a total jerk he´ll think it´s cool to wait a little if it means his girl will never get cervical cancer.