Why Your Preteen Should Get the HPV Vaccine

If you asked me if I would give my children a vaccine that would protect them against certain types of cancers, I would jump at the chance – and I did.

It’s the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the U.S. Certain types of this virus can cause cervical cancer in women and other types of cancer in both men and women. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are about 15,000 HPV-associated cancers in women and 7,000 in men each year in the U.S. that may be prevented by vaccines.

In a Palo Alto Medical Foundation health blog post, board-certified pediatrician Ross DeHovitz, M.D., explains why having your preteen vaccinated is one of the best things you can do to help prevent him or her from getting an HPV-related cancer. He also answers parents’ commonly asked questions about the HPV vaccine, including:

• Is the HPV vaccine safe?
• When should I get my child vaccinated?
• Why should both girls and boys receive the vaccine?

Read the entire blog post and check out Dr. DeHovitz’s physician profile.