I've heard about the HPV vaccine for teenage girls. But I'm not sure my 14-year-old
daughter needs it because she's not sexually active. What should I do?
– Lora
The HPV (human papillomavirus)
vaccine is now recommended for girls and boys both. It will help to protect them
from genital warts
and HPV-related cancers.
The vaccine has the best chance of protecting against infection if a person gets
the series of shots before becoming sexually active. Here's what
doctors recommend:
- For kids and teens ages 9–14, the HPV vaccine is given in 2 shots over a
6- to 12-month period.
- For teens and young adults (ages 15–26), it's given in 3 shots over a 6-month
period.
HPV is very common, affecting more than half of sexually active people at some
point in their lives, often in their teens and twenties.
Some strains of HPV that spread through sexual contact can cause cervical cancer,
as well as cancers of the penis,
anus, vagina,
vulva, mouth, and throat. Recent research suggests that HPV might even be linked
to cardiovascular disease in women.
While a girl may not be sexually active now, she likely will be at some point in
her life. Girls may get HPV in their teenage or young adult years, and then develop
cancer years later. So getting the vaccine on
time can help protect your daughter's health now and later in life.
Date reviewed: February 2020