Being aware of your cervical health is vital for women of all ages. Because thirteen thousand women every year will be diagnosed with cervical cancer, it’s important for every woman to know exactly what’s going on in her body.
Cervical Cancer
Keeping on top of your cervical health requires that you do everything you can to prevent cervical cancer. A simple pap smear done on a regular basis is enough to help your doctor detect any potential troubling changes in cervical cells. Any cancer detected early on has a very good chance of being treated successfully.
For women whose previous pap smears came back normal, this means getting checked every three years. For those whose pap smears may have found some abnormal cells, but not enough to be cancerous, this may mean doing a pap smear every year or as directed by a doctor.
What about HPV?
HPV, also known as the human papillomavirus, is a common infection in the US, whose symptoms show up mainly as warts – either genital warts, or general warts on the body. While in most people, the virus will eventually go away on its own, without treatment, if the virus does manage to linger in a woman’s body, it can lead to cervical cancer. It’s a good idea to request an HPV test along with your pap smear, so that in case you do happen to be infected, you and your doctor can discuss the best way to monitor the virus.
Your cervical health is important, as it will affect your life in many ways – from sexual activity to being a mother. By regularly getting a pap smear and an HPV test, you can be sure to catch any cancer early on.
