To ask you to tell me about the HPV Vaccine and if your daughters had it?

[neighbourhoodwoes]

DD just gave me the letter which has to be returned by tomorrow.

Everything I read online about how effective and how long it lasts is conflicting.

Does anyone have any info or views which may help!

OP as Yoksha pointed out , again that the vaccine is only effective on 2 strains - on balance we probably will not send our DD for hers next year.

Far far far more importance must be paid to the importance of attending

3 yearly screening - and the health promotion aspect of it .

Sorry I don't know why it cut my post up!

The HPV vaccine is only active on 2-4 cancer causing strains - there are around 16.

The vaccine is effective against HPV types 16 and 18 which cause approximately 70% of cervical cancers, and against HPV types 6 and 11 which cause approximately 90% of genital warts. Gardasil is expected to prevent up to 70% of cervical cancers, because they are due to HPV types against which the vaccine is directed.

And yes, my daughters have had their HPV vaccination, and my son will too.

I wish it had been offered when I was their age, but instead I went through the delights of having pre-cancerous cervical cells removed when I was in my mid-twenties, followed by years of annual smears.

My sons all had it at school. It's offered to all 12 year olds here (not UK). No ill effects.

BeAlert - your information is from ?

My DDs (early 20s) haven't had the HPV vax. They have had all their other vaccines. I left it up to them to decide and they decided against it, which I was very happy with. It was too new and the data didn't look that wonderful. I think they made the right call.

The testing of Gardasil has shown it to be completely effective against the relevant strains of HPV with no serious side effects. It's a fantastic development for our kids, especially because HPV is so common. Sexually active women should still have regular Pap tests even if vaccinated.

My oldest has had it. I left the choice to her - she was 13/14 at the time and competent to make her own medical decisions. Obviously I (and our GP) made sure that she was properly informed first. She did have a reaction - delayed and quite bothersome pain at the injection site, about a month after each jab - but it settled eventually.

Have you talked to your DD about it? How old is she?

My Dd had it. Her arm was a bit tender for a few days. Her sadistic PE teacher knew they had all had the injection and had them making windmills with their arms for 45 minutes.

BeAlert - your information is from?

The FDA.
www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/Vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm096052.htm

My DD1 had it and DD2 will have it too.

Some misinformation on this thread.

There are many strains of HPV of which some are considered HR-HPV (high risk HPV). The vaccine used (now Gardasil, was Cervarix) is effective at reducing the risk of infection for 4 strains considered high risk - 6, 11, 16 and 18.

It is largely unnecessary to vaccinate against the other strains of HPV as they are considered low risk.

The information for Gardasil can be found here Gardasil patient information leaflet

I've cut and pasted the important bits:

"These diseases include pre-cancerous lesions of the female genitals (cervix, vulva, and vagina); precancerous lesions of the anus and genital warts in males and females; cervical and anal cancers. HPV types 16 and 18 are responsible for approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases, 75-80% of anal cancer cases; 70% of HPV-related pre-cancerous lesions of the vulva and vagina, 75% of HPV related precancerous lesions of the anus. HPV types 6 and 11 are responsible for approximately 90% of genital wart cases"

(For info, I'm an experienced registered nurse who has given the HPV vaccine to hundreds of girls. I've also got 3 daughters.)

My mum died from cervical cancer and it was horrific watching what she went through. She died far too young at 53 and will miss out on seeing her grandchildren grow up.

My girls will be having it when they're old enough and I'll make sure I can afford to pay for my boys to have it too, if it hasn't been brought in foe boys and girls by then.

I'll also be doing everything I can to make sure my dds have regular screenings as I do.

My son has had the first injection, will be having the next in a few months. I work in a head and neck cancer unit and would do quite a lot to reduce his risk of having head and neck cancer, it's shit. Obviously if he then smokes and drinks his head off and ignores ulcers, he is still at high risk of it. So be it.

He's 12, I didn't give him much of a choice ('This is a pair of injections which could help reduce the chance of you getting a kind of cancer if you do certain things while having sex. It's quite rare in men but I see it a lot at work and it's not nice at all. Are you OK with this?')

I did read up on possible side effects and thought the data on anything really unpleasant connected with this vaccination looked fine. Obviously it's still fairly new.

I'm a HCP. I have had it, and if I had a daughter they would get it too.
I second what Sidge said.

No, my daughters will not be having the HPV vaccination I just don't feel that with the lifestyle we lead as a family and our values that it is necessary, perhaps it may be in the future and that is a choice they can make ... I also don't want my children to have exposure to chemicals that are not essential to their well being ...too often the public are cajoled into giving their children and themselves vaccinations that are not truly imperative...

Mistress I just don't feel that with the lifestyle we lead as a family and our values that it is necessary
Wow. So it's just people with poor values who are at risk from HPV? And you are absolutely convinced your children will live by your 'values' when they are adults?

Mistress if you envisage your children having DC when they are older, then that will involve unprotected sex.

That will potentially expose them to HPV from their partner - why would you not vaccinate?!

HPV can be transmitted digitally so you don't even need to have just penetrative sex to be exposed to HPV.

I think the notion that "family values" can reduce the risk of contracting HPV is potentially very damaging. And by the time ones children can decide for themselves they may have already been exposed.

Wow at some of the misinformation on this thread.

As a hcp who has often had to break the news to women that they have been found to have cervical changes and are hpv positive I would urge parents and their dc to carefully research this subject before deciding not to have the vaccination.

Mistress the women I care for come from all types of backgrounds, hpv is a risk for anyone who has unprotected sexual intercourse.

I don't know why you wouldn't do it? It reduces the risk of the most common cause of cervical cancer.

Should add that my dd was vaccinated without any complications.

None of the girls I have vaccinated have had any untoward side effects.

Really hoping that the vaccine will be offered to boys soon.

I do understand how HPV is transmitted, this is a choice I made for my children not yours why take offence when I was not speaking in direct terms to anyone..what exactly are poor values?....I did not say mine are better or worse?...they are just mine...respect my choice just like I respect yours

I have signed my DD up for it. Obviously it would be better if the boys had it as well, but it's a start (much like the rubella jab back in the '80s)