Ladies, are you having unprotected sex? if you are, you already know that you have some health risks; HIV and many other sexually transmitted diseases. Heard about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV)? It is spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the virus.
It’s the most common sexually transmitted infection. Its so common that nearly all sexually active men and women will get it at some point in their lives. You can get it even if you have sex with one person and you can develop it years after you have slept with an infected person, making it hard to even determine when you first became infected. Another unfortunate situation it that, there is no way to determine if you have the HPV virus or not.
This virus will normally clear from the body without any treatment. BUT they may stay and cause some types of cancers. One of the HPV related cancers is Cervical Cancer. Not all women will develop it from an HPV infection but there is no way to determine which people will. Cervical cancer is the forth most common cause of death from cancer in women.
So get this, the most common sexually transmitted disease that almost every sexually active person have is the forth cause of death from cancer in women. HPV related cancers are not very common in men, which means ladies, this one is on us. Let me add that cervical cancer can take 10 to 20 years to develop so it does not matter if the last time you had sex was ten years ago. So, what to do?
DON’T HAVE SEX!!!…lol…. just kidding…but really though, abstinence is the only absolute way that makes you completely safe. Remember that it does not matter if you are sleeping with only one man, he might be getting busy with someone else or he may already have the virus before you met. So sex before or after marriage, you are still at risk so really….
1. Get vaccinated against the virus before you get sexually active. Visit any clinic or hospital and inquire about the vaccination (man or woman).
2. “If its not on, its not in”, I am sure you remember this popular Ghanaian sexual health campaign. Use condoms. First of all in my strong opinion, you have no business sleeping with someone who you have no long-term commitment with without protection.
It’s careless! Don’t be naïve, take charge! Its your health on the line. If particular types of condoms don’t work or irritates, keep looking. This has nothing to do with trust, as I said earlier, the person may already have the virus before you met and you can’t test.
3. Ladies, if you are already out and about don’t worry. Go to any clinic or hospital and ask about PAP SMEAR TESTS. This it the most important part of my article. Pap smear tests are a life saver. It’s a screening procedure for cervical cancer. Cervical cancer takes years to develop so by the time you see symptoms, it may already be too late so go and see a gynaecologist now. Pap smear test are a little uncomfortable but painless. It involves examination of the cervix and the opening of the uterus.
Among HPV infected women, smoking, oral contraceptives and multiples pregnancies increases risks of cervical cancer so PAP SMEAR TESTS are a must for all sexually active women.
If you bleed after sex, experience pain during sex,papplease see a gynaecologist. Symptoms of advanced cervical cancer include: pelvic pain, weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, and bleeding after douching, leakage of faeces from the vaginal etc.
There are more reasons than one to regularly see a gynaecologist. There are many female reproductive system related issues, BOOK AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE A GYNAECOLOGIST NOW!
By Owusua Dacosta of www.ocostasite.wordpress.com
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