Apr
13
Human Papillomavirus (HPV), is the cause of most cervical cancer. It’s been 2 years since the FDA approved Gardasil® as the first HPV vaccine, which is effective at preventing approximately 70% of cervical cancer cases. It also prevents about 90% of genital warts.
Approximately 80% of American adults contract HPV at some point in their lifetime. Most people will clear this infection thanks to their immune system.
This vaccine is preventative, so it is optimal to be administered before exposure to HPV. It doesn’t help with established infection, most of which will resolve because of your immune system. Consequently the CDC recommends routine vaccination for 11-12 year-old girls and catch-up vaccination for 13-26 year-old females.
- Women should receive a series of three immunizations at 0, 2, and 6 months (costs approximately $375).
- The vaccine appears to be safe and without serious side effects in studies following patients for 5 years. Adverse reactions are mainly injection site pain. This reaction is common and mild. There is no mercury in the vaccine.
- The duration of protection is unclear. Current studies indicate the vaccine is effective for five years. There is no evidence of waning immunity during that time period.
- Research about activity in males, older women, and duration of effectiveness is ongoing.
- Vaccinated women should continue to practice protective sexual behaviors (e.g. abstinence, monogamy, limiting the number of sex partners, and/or using condoms), since the vaccine will not prevent all HPV types—nor will it prevent other STDs.
- Vaccinated women will need regular cervical cancer screening since the vaccine will not provide protection against all types of HPV that cause cervical cancer, and since some women may not receive the full vaccine series.
If you have daughters between ages of 9 and 26, check with your pediatrician if they offer HPV vaccination. If they don’t, or if you are in this age range, please feel free to schedule an appointment with us for counseling and immunization. This is an exciting breakthrough in the prevention of cancer for women.
Wishing you good health!Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Avenue, Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
www.WomensHealthFremont.com
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Apr
9
Cervical Cancer Screening Update
Filed Under Women's Health News
The incidence and death rates from cervical cancer in the United States have dropped almost 50% since the widespread use of PAP smears began in the early 1970’s. However, cervical cancer still remains the third most common gynecologic cancer in the USA.
The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) recently released new recommendations for cervical cancer screening that are based in part on newly available human papilloma (HPV) tests as well as a better appreciation for the evolution of cervical cancer. HPV is the virus known to cause 99% of cervical cancers. Should your PAP smear be abnormal, then further testing, called Colposcopy which is a magnified view of the cervix, will be usually be needed.
Regardless of the frequency of cervical cancer screening, annual breast & pelvic exams are recommended. While we try to remind you each year of the anniversary of your upcoming well women exam, please check your calendar or give us a call to see if we might have missed you.
Wishing you good health!
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Visit our web site, Women’s Health Specialists
Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Ave. Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
Apr
8
Primum non no cere…First do no harm is the Greek phrase that resonates from the Hippocratic oath every physician recites at graduation from medical school. It drives innovation such as the evolution of minimally invasive procedures.
t may seem like overkill, but until the 1960’s gynecologists often performed hysterectomy for requests for sterilization. Tubal ligation, tying the fallopian tubes, through an open incision then became the norm. Then in the late 1970’s the laparoscope made this possible through “band-aid” surgery. In this decade hysteroscopic sterilization is becoming the preferred procedure. A small scope is placed through the vagina into the uterus, where microinserts are placed blocking each tube. Because Essure hysteroscopic sterilization is free of any incisions it is the safest technique. In addition, since discomfort is limited to mild menstrual cramps, it is increasingly performed without general anesthesia, further reducing risks and undesired side effects, such as nausea.
Tubal ligation is highly effective, but not quite perfect at preventing unplanned pregnancies, which occur in about 1% of women. Essure has been placed in nearly 110,000 women worldwide and the failure rate is approximately 0.15%. So thus far it looks like it might be more effective. Essure does require an x-ray three months afterwards to confirm that the tubes are blocked, reassuring all involved of success.
There are also cost savings for women selecting the familiarity of a doctor’s office for hysteroscopic sterilization, which eliminates operating room expenses and anesthesiologist’s fees. Essure only takes about 15 minutes to perform. Most women return to regular activities the next day. And it is covered by most health insurance plans.
While vasectomy for men may seem like the ideal solution for couples interested in permanent birth control (because he has to do it), Essure is making sterilization for women less risky and less disruptive to their busy lives. Ultimately a woman’s choice should determine where she feels most comfortable having a procedure performed. For some women it’s the outpatient surgery center and for others our office. For more information visit. www.Essure.com or better yet schedule a consultation with your physician.
Wishing you good health!
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Learn more about Essure, Visit our web site
Women’s Health Specialists
2299 Mowry Ave. Suite #3C
Fremont, CA 94538
510.796.7057
