tpotts73
01-19-2009, 12:33 PM
Do you have to be a Virgin in order to get the shot..? I was told you can not be sexual active or you are not able to get the shot
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Pickle Eyes
01-19-2009, 02:12 PM
Not the way I understand it. It is optimal if the young woman is not sexually experienced. That way she has not been exposed to any of the strains of the virus so the vaccine is maximallly effective. If a young woman has had some sexual contact, then there is a chance she has been exposed to HPV, possibly one of the strains in the vaccine. The vaccine is not retroactive, so she will have that strain, but the virus can ward against the other strains that she has not (hopefully) been exposed to.
Drafly
01-26-2009, 01:11 AM
I hear this a lot from people that they have been told they cannot get the shot and I'm not sure just where that misinformation got started but it sure gets said on a regular basis to many women. Even the Merck product information doesn't say this but that if you have one strain the vaccine can provide protection against those you may not have so, if you are within the age range of 9 to 26 it would be advisable to get the vaccine. As Pickle said, it will not help if you have these strains of HPV already, but if you don't? I'd surely rather get the vaccine.
Thisby
01-26-2009, 02:30 AM
Since the shot has to be administered by a health professional (in some places, a doctor) it stands to reason that it is up to that professional's discretion as to if there would be any benefit administering the shot. I imagine different places have different rules.
The reasoning though, is that once someone is sexually active, the chances of them already having HPV is good, which reduces the usefulness of the shot. True, if you only have one strain of the 4 it protects against, you'd still benefit from the protection against the remaining 3, but to be sure of which you have, and what benefit you might get would take an HPV DNA test. At that point, it's a cost/benefit thing. If you are willing to pay for it knowing it might be pointless, then it's a matter of finding a place willing to administer it.
The reasoning though, is that once someone is sexually active, the chances of them already having HPV is good, which reduces the usefulness of the shot. True, if you only have one strain of the 4 it protects against, you'd still benefit from the protection against the remaining 3, but to be sure of which you have, and what benefit you might get would take an HPV DNA test. At that point, it's a cost/benefit thing. If you are willing to pay for it knowing it might be pointless, then it's a matter of finding a place willing to administer it.
calidreaming
01-26-2009, 03:03 AM
When I was diagnosed w/ low risk hpv, my dr. still suggested i continue with the shots. In all honesty I don't think anything matters, its going to protect you from something!