13 And the HPV Vacination

I have to say that all the to-do about this vaccine giving girls permission to have sex is a bunch of nonsense. I have yet to tell any of my children anything about any of the vaccines they have received except that they have to have them to prevent them from getting sick. I don't know why on earth I'd start explaining in detail what I'm protecting my girls from with this particular vaccine!

You also should consider that HPV can also be transmitted thru casual contact such as kissing, it is the number 2 cause of oral cancer (tobacco is number 1 of course). As a dental hygienist I've had first hand experience how devistating oral cancer can be for my patients, and do recommend that people talk to their doctors about hpv vaccination. I'm a 24 year old mother of 2, I have gotten the vaccination for myself and plan to vaccinate both my daughters when they are old enough. From what I've read the majority of the side effects (if any are experienced at all) are minor including pain at the injection site, nausea etc which usually resolve themselves. I have personally not experienced any side effects, nor has any of my friends who have also been vaccinated. Also as previously mentioned by another author, yes only 11,000 people are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, but more that 20 million people are estimated to have the virus and an additional 6.5 million are exposed every year. It is estimated 50% of both men and women will contract hpv in their lifetime. These facts are taken from the CDC's website. In my view vaccinating shouldn't be a test of someone's values, but a matter of protecting oneself against disease, no matter what the mode of transmittion is. Whatever you chose, I am sure it will be the best for your family.

And please when researching this vaccine do so from a creditable source. There are so many people out there who turn up false information or twist the truth. here is a link to an article put out by the CDC regarding the vaccination.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hpv/hpv-vacsafe-effic...

Isn't the HPv vaccination effective against only 1 or 2 strains...and don't several exist?

Hi C..
I have a daughter age 15, who recently had the HPV vaccination. We too are a Christian family so I had origionally decided against have the vaccination until speaking to my pediatrician, whom I have trusted for 17 years. She explained that the vaccine wasn't about whether the girls are going to have sex while they are young or whether they WOULD have multiple sex partners. She explained that it would be beneficial simply because of unforseen occurances. Perhaps your child waits and marries before sexual relations occur...but later in life her spouse dies and she chooses to remarry...or perhaps in such a difficult world divorce should occur and a new marriage commences. It's a protection for your daughter and should not be labeled any other way. It's a personal and private decision as well and doesn't need to be advertised.
As a mother I have always protected my children from whatever possible through instruction...this is just another way to help ensure one less thing to worry over.
I have always taught my children high standards morally speaking...and answered ALL of their questions truthfully and as fully as possible, always emphasizing the main issues brought to me, not covering over anything no matter how embarrassing some of their questions may have seemed...yet not giving too much. I allowed their questioning to lead the way for how much information was given and how much would be left over for a later time when more would be needed to keep curiosity from getting the better of them.
I believe training should come from the parents and not from the rest of the world, and have enjoyed a great relationship with them in so doing. They appreciate that the knowledge they have has come from the source from which it should come. They were never made to feel embarrassed about their questions and are grateful that they have not been forced to learn anything the hard way.
Just food for thought.
Hang in there and do what you think is best for your family. It's all we can do.
Take care.
Becky

My 13 year old niece was vaccinated, and a week later went into seizures. Not to scare you-my husbands side of the family is sensitive to vaccines, but it did happen. She had never had a seizure before then.

There's at least two issues at play here, depending upon how one looks at the situation.

First of all, if you and your husband have been vaccinating your children and have no issues with vaccinations in general, then do your homework about this vaccine and make sure you're both comfortable with what the vaccine protects against, what it doesn't cover, and what the side effects are. If you're non-vaccinating parents, then it's likely you'll both decide to forego this one as well. Either way, it's your decision.

I think the real issue you're questioning, though, is the spiritual implication in your daughter's life - if you have her vaccinated and yet you are raising her to believe that sexual relations are meant to be only within the context of marriage, what message does receiving the vaccine send? I agree with you on that one. I read an article a few months ago in Today's Christian Woman (you can likely find the article on-line at their website) about this topic. I will say that one major thing stood out in my mind that I hadn't considered before. One of the follow-up letters in the next issue was from a man whose wife had contracted HPV from him once they were married. He had not been a Christian until he was an adult and had lived a fleshly life, like so many do. His wife, a Christian from childhood, had saved herself for marriage. Unfortunately, that did not protect her. Her husband felt terrible about that and said that they would be getting their daughter vaccinated so that she didn't have to "pay" for the sins her future husband may commit before they are married.

It's a very senstive situation to navigate as a parent. I pray God gives you both wisdom to do what is best for your daughter at this point in time.

This is an issue that I too, have been struggling with. I know that not all types of HPV are sexually related and that it has been found in women who are virgins, but I do not think that there is enough information about this vaccine. I have heard a lot of negative side effects and I personnaly am not willing to take that risk with my daughter. She is only 10, I hope that by the time she is 16-17, they will have a better idea about the true safety-vs-risk of this vaccine. An interesting note: Consumer Reports recommends NOT giving the vaccine to young girls, because the risks are too unknown.

At 13 and being raised with strong religious values, I think your daughter is probably still too young to be even interested in sex. In another couple of years, she'll be in high school and that seems to be when the majority of young people tend to start pushing boundaries and experimenting with the opposite sex. Even kids who are raised to wait until marriage don't always follow that advice. Some of the other women also raised a valid point about the possibility of contracting HPV even in a monogamous marriage. I do think the vaccine is a good idea, but since there are risks involved, I would probably wait and see what new research comes out. You can always have her vaccinated at another time once it has been on the market a little longer and more is known about it.

i am 33 and have been married for 10years and together with my husband for 14 yrs and when i asked the dr if i should have this vacination, she asked me if we were in a monogomus relationship, i said yes and she said that i didn't need to have it unless my sitution changes.

I also have a 13 yo and the doctor did mention the vaccine but did not push it. I am in no rush and plan to wait a few years until the vaccine has been out for longer. Who knows, the vaccine may only last 5 yrs and the "new improved" shot may be better. I will think about the shots pros and cons before she leaves for college but for now it is a non issue.

I honestly have not heard of the side effects, but I don't have daughters so I've never researched it. But despite how you raise her it may be worth it for her future. Sometimes we don't get to choose what we are exposed to. Such as a previous person said about what if her future husband wasn't as concerned about saving himself or he cheats on her, she chooses not to wait for whatever reason, or worst of all she is raped. Do your research but everyone I know in the medical community is pushing for girls to get this. It's your decision, but protecting her is important.

The reality, and the insanity, in this crazy world is that doctors would tell you that you need to vaccinate your children (at all, let alone for "the HPV"). Pray for God to reveal the truth about His natural law to you -- that you learn about how He built the body and the amazing immune system, and once you've done your due diligence, decide what is best for your family. People put more thought into what they put in their cars than their children's bloodstreams. That's the reality in today's crazy world. I'm very glad to hear that you are at least questioning what the are recommending. Go with your instincts and keep doing your homework. The truth is out there, and as always with truth, it will set you free.

S.

Hi C.,

I would suggest you do your own research on this vaccine. The information coming from your doctor is coming straight from the drug company that stands to make a mint on this vaccine. You need to read unbiased information on whether or not this vaccine is neccessary.

I have a daughter, too. From the research I have done, I can tell you that there is no way on God's green earth that we will let her have that vaccine. We find absolutely no reason for it.

You have to be careful of the way advertisers use statistics. When you look at the same information from a different perspective, it isn't so compelling. 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. That sounds like a big number, but it really isn't. You probably have that many people living in your neighborhood. Also, this is the number of those diagnosed. The number who die is much smaller. In fact, cervical cancer is highly treatable. The vast number of those who die are over 40 and are NOT having their annual pap smear.

Also, it is clear that those who have taken birth control pills have a greater risk for contracting the cancer, but you don't see the pill being yanked from the shelf. http://cervicalcancer.morefocus.com/articles/cervical-can...

I am an information geek, so I read a lot about things like this. One article that I would suggest you read is from Mothering Magazine. The article was biased in that the author was against the widespread use of the vaccine, but if you read critically, you will find a wealth of useful information. It was in the May, 2007 issue. The article isn't available online, but you can get a back issue from the web site. www.mothering.com
You could also visit the www.mercola.com site and search for gardasil or HPV vaccine to see the controversy surrounding the company (Merk) who makes the vaccine.

It seems that this issue isn't about whether or not our daughters become sexually active or not, it is about money.

ANY company that tells you that they are looking out for your health is a company to be wary of. By definition, what they are really looking out for is their bottom line.

Be prayerful and knowlegeable about this before you make a decision that will affect the rest of your daughter's life.

Blessings to you,

C.

Hi C.!

This vacination to me is not worth the risks. Read up on all the side effects to this. I heard there is alot. And they are pretty bad. Dont feel pressured by everyone. Do what your gut is telling you. God will take care of everything else. Good Luck. D.