HPV vaccine: prevention is the choice

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MEET THE AUTHOR

NAME — Alesha Peterson
AGE — 18

HPV VACCINE: PREVENTION IS THE CHOICE

November 4, 2007

I’m in the process of getting the HPV vaccine because it was a mutual choice between my mom, my doctor and me. I think it is good to receive the HPV vaccine for the human papillomavirus because it will help prevent cervical cancer.

But getting the shot is a personal decision and should not be mandated. I believe this is because HPV is a possibility rather than a probability. It's not randomly contagious like the common cold virus. You can’t catch HPV when someone coughs on you.

The government should stop trying to run people’s lives. Girls and their families should be able to make their own choices, especially with an intimate issue like this one.

In any case — with or without the HPV vaccine — young people should practice abstinence, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases, and take care of their bodies. It is important that researchers are trying to come up with cures for sexually transmitted diseases, but the best “cure” is abstaining. If anyone thinks the vaccine is a guaranteed prevention tool, they should think again. It’s almost like saying:

"Hey, I got the flu shot! I'm protected from the flu, so I don’t have to wash my hands.

The world sends mixed messages. Too many magazines and movies celebrate sexual activity.

Young people are pressured to have a girlfriend or boyfriend. As a result, people play around with sex too much and talk about it too much. That makes it nasty when it’s actually supposed to be a beautiful and personal thing.

Then, when the girl gets pregnant, or the boy or girl gets a sexually transmitted disease, society says: “You should have used birth control,” or “You shouldn’t have done that.”

If media want to reflect real life, they need to show how abstinence can benefit people, and casual sex can kill them or make them unable to have children.

Young people, especially, should ask themselves: Am I ready to risk my future health for this person? Can I see this person being the mother or father of my kids? Do I really love this person?

Whether or not girls and young women decide to get the HPV vaccine or not, I hope they will keep these precautionary measures in mind.

I know I sure will.

Protecting their health
	By Alesha Peterson, 17 Teens have long been warned about the health risks of being sexually active, including the possibility of contracting the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Health officials now have added human papillomavirus (HPV) infection to the list.
HPV vaccine: knowledge not widespread
	By Alesha Peterson, 17 Each member of the Y-Press team for this story is a teenage girl, and each believes learning about the human papillomavirus, or HPV, is important for youth and families. Readers can learn more about HPV and the different viewpoints these teens share.
HPV vaccine: What age is appropriate?
	By Alesha Peterson, 17 While the vaccine is recommended for tweens, Cathy questions whether that is developmentally appropriate?
HPV vaccine: effect on other conditions
	By Alesha Peterson, 17 While the vaccine has been available and national advertising has occurred, Perri still feels the need to educate herself.
HPV vaccine: It's a no brainer
	By Alesha Peterson, 17 Using the polio vaccine as an example of when mandating was critical, Sarah wonders that may be the case for the HPV vaccination.