While reading the May/June 2007 issue of Mothering
I ran across an article about the HPV vaccine Gardasil. I
found it interesting and decided to a little more research. HPV
(human papillomavirus) is a group of over 100 viruses. Over 30 strains
of the virus are sexually transmitted. According to the CDC (Center
for Disease Control and Prevention) approximately 20 million people
are currently infected with HPV.
In many people HPV is asymptomatic
which means there are no apparent symptoms and so HPV is
often undetected. Although HPV may lead to cervical cancer the majority
of females with HPV do not get cancer. According to a recent study,
90% of HPV infections clear up on their own. Although HPV is a common
infection that may clear up on its own it can have consequences
such as genital warts or cervical cancer.
It is important for women to get a
yearly pap test and keep regular appointments for gynecological
exams. It should not be ignored and it is even more important for
women over the age of 30 to have an annual pap test. Early detection
and treatment of cervical cancer is imperative. HPV can cause
abnormal Pap test results. An abnormal pap test indicates that some
cells taken from the cervix have an abnormal appearance compared
to those of healthy cells. Although an abnormal pap test may indicate
the presence of an HPV infection it is not necessarily present in
all cases.
There is no cure for HPV although
outbreaks of genital warts can be treated with topical creams. They
may also be removed by methods such as cryotherapy, which removes
the warts by freezing. Laser therapy is another option. In many
cases the warts will simply disappear on their own. You can reduce
your risk of exposure to HPV by limiting your number of sexual partners.
Using a condom may also help to lower the risk. A pregnant woman
that is infected with HPV may pass the virus on to the baby.
In 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
approved the HPV vaccine Gardasil for females aged 9 to 26. It has
been referred to as the anti-cancer vaccine in hopes of preventing
cervical cancer in women. As stated in the Mothering Magazine article,
a study published in a February issue of the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA) has shown that the vaccine only protects
against 3.4 percent of HPV strains. Gardasil has not been tested
for long-term safety effects and reactions to the vaccine have included
fainting, seizures, arthralgia or joint pain.
According to a vaccine safety group
report released February 21, 2007 a number of adverse events regarding
Gardasil were found to be higher than expected. On May 23, 2007
information was released that was uncovered by Judicial Watch, the
public interest groups that investigates and prosecutes government
corruption. The documents were obtained by the FDA under the provisions
of The Freedom of Information Act. The information detailed 1,637
adverse reactions to the HPV vaccine Gardasil including three deaths
related to heart and/or blood clotting problems. Of 42 women who
were pregnant 18 of them experienced serious adverse effects including
spontaneous abortion to fetal abnormalities.
When I recieved the first shot, my arm became swollen and was sore and tender for up to two weeks. When I recieved the second shot, my arm immediately began to swell and bruise, causing the nurse to go get the doctor. By the time she returned, I was light headed, had difficulty breathing and experienced nausea. After nearly fainting, I was given a shot of Benadryl. I was also informed that based on my reaction, I could not recieve the 3rd shot.