What are your thoughts when you hear the word “cancer?” Fear? Or what about death? What if there was a way for you to prevent cancer? Well, for cervical cancer, there is!
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, over 12,500 women in the United States were diagnosed with cervical cancer, and ultimately 4,115 of these cases were fatal. I bet you are wondering why the numbers are so high if it is preventable, right? Unfortunately, the truth is that many women are uneducated when it comes to the importance of their cervical health.
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month to help raise awareness about the importance of cervical health and how cervical cancer can be prevented.
Cervical cancer is primarily caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) which is most often spread by direct skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity. It is a very common virus with more than 150 variant types, and fifteen of these types have been found to cause cancer. Most people, both male and female, will contract HPV at some point in their lifetime. The CDC estimates that about 79 million people in the U.S. are currently infected with HPV. However, in most cases, the virus will go away on its own, never becoming cancerous.
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