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According to the Center for Disease Control, 20 million people are currently
infected with an STD known as Human Papillomavirus (pap-i-loma-virus) or HPV.
The rise of younger women who are becoming sexually active is a warning signs to
doctors to educate patients about common STD’s that can affect the rest of their
lives. Gynecologic oncologist Edward Grendys says, “We know that a significant percentage
of young women are actually sexually active at a much younger age then we once thought.
It has been estimated that between 15 and 20% of women between 11 and 13 are actually
sexually active.”
Dr. Grendys also says that herpes and gonorrhea are commonly talked about STD’s-but
doctors say a genital infection called HPV is affecting over 6 million Americans
each year-and some may not even know their infected. “We would expect by age 50
upwards of 80-90% of women will have been exposed to HPV. It is a sexually transmitted
disease passed male to female.”
Dr. Grendys adds that most women are able to successfully fight off a viral infection
the same way they would a cold. But when genital warts appear, its time to take
a more aggressive approach. “In a relatively small percentage of women, however,
this HPV does lead to changes in the cervical tissue itself. That is typically recognized
on a pap smear.”
And when recognized early enough, preventing cervical cancer becomes much easier.
Cervical cancer cases have dropped 75% in the past 50 years.
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