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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

hpv vaccine

68 replies

beckaboop · 26/01/2011 17:51

hi there, i'm doing a spot of research for an assignment on the hpv vaccine and cervical screening, and would love to get a parent's view on the hpv vaccine. untill doing the assigment i knew very little about hpv and wondered how much information was given to parents and if you felt it was enough? if anyone feels like sharing that would be great! if your child has had the vaccine, you decided against it, has your child had any side effects ect. thanks :)

OP posts:

newpup · 26/01/2011 18:48

Hi. My DD1 is 11 and in Year 7. I think she will be offered the vaccine next year in Year 8.

I will be refusing it. I will discuss it with her and explain my reasoning as at 12, she has a right to be a part of the decision.

I feel that the vaccine is being 'sold' as an anti-cancer vaccine and as far as I am aware, it is not. It is a vaccine against an s.t.d that can cause cancer.

I firmly believe it is wrong to vaccinate young girls against s.t.ds. I think that we should be educating young girls to say no and to have self respect. Also how to look after themselves regarding safe sex.

I get very angry that the government has chosen to misrepresent what the vacine actually is.

sharon2609 · 26/01/2011 20:33

My daughter is year 8 and is half way through her course of vaccinations. We discussed it together and she asked questions that i thought were quite mature (must give her more credit !). We had lots of literature from the school and the nurse was available for any discussion. With a family history of cancer (my mother) i was all for her having the jab but she was in no way pressured into it.I dont think that any of the literature we had stated that it was an anti cancer jab.

Northernlurker · 26/01/2011 20:37

My child has had it and so will her sisters. No side effects at all.
Newpup - I take offence at your implication that saying yes to the vaccine means I haven't taught my child self respect etc. Also I would point out to you that you can only have sex in a committed and respectful relationship and still contract HPV if one of you has had more than one partner. It isn't only transmitted by one night stands. If your dd wants it will you agree to it?

sharon2609 · 26/01/2011 20:39

Here here Northernlurker

emmamacca · 26/01/2011 21:25

I'm sorry but having had a, close friend die of cervical cancer in her early 30s I had no problem in having my DDs vaccinated against this killer virus that caused her cancer. My friend had self respect and only 3 sexual partners one of who was her husband and father of her 2 children.

Pterosaur · 26/01/2011 21:30

As Sharon and NorthernLurker.

My year 8 dd has had two doses so far; no side effects.

sharon2609 · 26/01/2011 21:39

No side affects at all. Although daughter tried milking it after each jab saying her arm hurt!Found her in bedroom doing "mad dancing" with her friend so couldn't have hurt that much.

Jimmychasesangels · 26/01/2011 21:41

dd had it(all 3) and had no side affects, and none of her peers had any.
as they all have severe sn, taht was quite good

Northernlurker · 26/01/2011 22:24

Emma - so sorry for your loss.

AtYourCervix · 26/01/2011 22:29

both DDs have had it. i felt that anything that protected (in whatever way) against any form of cancer was worth vaccinating against.

DD1 had an achy arm but nothing much.

DD2 had a blotchy rash after the first one - I debated over whether she should have the second one but made sure the school knew about the first reaction and she was fine - again achy arm but nothing more.

lemonsquish · 26/01/2011 22:42

Cervical cancer is the first cancer to be shown to be caused by a virus. This cancer also affects many young women, so, to me, it makes sense that, if we can, then we should let our daughters be protected.

I don't beleive it should be seen as an 'anti-STD jab', the virus is spread by contact, so condoms are not always effective protection.

HPV can also cause cancer of the vagina, mouth and throat, although not as often.

My DD was among the first group of year 8 girls to receive the vaccination, she had no problems, other than a slightly sore arm, and her sister will be having it next year.

Sanesometimes1 · 26/01/2011 23:30

my dd has also had vac, the school gave loads of leaflets and advice to parents, tbh I was very pro this and advised my daughter that this was in her best interests to have this, as far as I know no-one in her circle of friends have declined.

newpup · 27/01/2011 09:52

Obviously, I am in a minority with my opinion

Northernlurker, I did not in any way imply that girls who have had the jab had no self-respect!

In my opinion, I would rather that girls had more education regarding the ability to say 'no'.

The bottom line is that H.P.V. is a sexually transmitted disease. I think it is wrong to vaccinate young girls, yet to even begin sexual relationships against s.t.d.s.

In the area where I live, the vaccine is refered to as an 'anti-cervical cancer jab'. In speaking to other parents it is clear, in this area at least, there is confusion as to what the vaccine is.

Emma , I am sorry for your loss, as someone who lives with cancer every day, I certainly do take preventing it seriously but also have strong views regarding vaccinating girls against s.t.ds.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 27/01/2011 10:29

I will be getting it for my DD when the time comes.
Newpup, from my limited understanding, there is a very small window in which this vaccine can be given. When would you consider it to be acceptable. It is necessary to administer the course before they begin sexual relationships.
This is a genuine question, not meant to wind you up in any way.

Socy · 27/01/2011 11:10

Kreecher - I don't think that is true as I know a 20 year old who has just had her first dose (no idea if she has begun sexual relationships or not, but I would assume so). DD in year 8 has had it - I would actually have preferred for it to be later so that she could have understood better what it is for.

kreecherlivesupstairs · 27/01/2011 12:09

OK, I did mean that the course must be started before you become sexually active. I know that I am a miserable old woman, but even I am aware that a lot of girls do become sexually active around the ages 14-15. I don't want that for my DD but accept it is a reality of life

Pterosaur · 27/01/2011 12:15

You can have it at any time, but if you've alrady been exposed to the virus, obviously it won't protect you, therefore it's better to have it before there's any chance.

newpup · 27/01/2011 12:46

Hello Kreecher. The honest answer to your question is that I do not know. I suppose when DD is old enough to understand what it is for and the implications of it.

I just have real concerns about giving the vaccine to girls, who are not even sexually active, in case they are not careful, or selective or are unlucky etc later on.

I am a miserable old woman too kreecher and am well aware some girls are sexually active at a young age but feel that as a society we do not teach girls enough about self-respect and that no-one should be having sex at a young age. We arm them with information about contraception, stds, etc and expect them to make informed choices at a time when they are simply to immature to.

I think we, as a society need to go back to explaining that sex is best in long-term relationships at an age when they are fully mature to cope with the emotional consequences. I know that this is not a popular view but there you go.

It just does not feel right to me to go down the route of assuming that all young girls have sex and need protection against s.t.ds.

hannahsaunt · 27/01/2011 13:39

But didn't we all get vaccinated against German Measles at 14 to protect our future children? Doesn't that imply that at some point in our lives they were expecting us to have sex !

PixieOnaLeaf · 27/01/2011 17:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Leverkusen · 27/01/2011 17:05

newpup- but why wouldnt you want to vaccinate your daughter against a sexually transmitted virus?

PixieOnaLeaf · 27/01/2011 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Leverkusen · 27/01/2011 17:18

Totally agree with you Pixie

newpup · 27/01/2011 17:28

Pixie, actually my daughter can not be given the vaccine if I refuse to give my consent and make my wishes known in writing.

I actually feel that people who assume that their children will get s.t.d.s when they are not even old enough to have sex have much less faith in their children.

I am certainly not 'leaving her open to catching an s.t.d' I will educate her about self-respect and safe sex!

Also , I am perfectly entitled to take a moral stance with regard to my DD's sexual morality and health. Whilst she is a child that is my role! Just because you disagree does not make me less entitled!

QuickLookBusy · 27/01/2011 17:37

Both my DDs have had it. We had leaflets from the school and were able to phone school nurse with any questions.

Neither of them had any problems, just a sore arm for a few days. DD2 was ill for her 3rd injection, so she was fitted in a term later.

I feel very lucky that my 2 DDs have had extra protection against this horrible disease. I don't think it encourages girls to become sexually active. I don't thnk anyone would say to their DD "If you have this injection it means you can have sex anytime you like and you will be safe" When we talked about it, it was more like "this injection protects you against a virus. So when you are much older, you will have that extra protection." We then talked about the importance of condoms. [Mind you I bring that up on a regular basis, any tv programme/film where 2 people jump into bed, I pipe up "I hope they are using a condom"

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