HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection that can cause severe problems like cervical cancer, head and neck cancer, etc. The virus can also be transmitted without sexual intercourse, and, therefore, it is must for teenagers to get vaccinated.
‘Pediatricians are advised to strongly recommend Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for girls and boys in the age group of 11-12 years.’
Teenagers are now having sex by the age of 16, but parents are still hesitating to talk about it openly to them. The age of 11-12 years is crucial for parents to explain them about STI and the importance of getting HPV vaccination.
Doctors also do not strongly recommend girls to get HPV vaccinated. The only way to prevent this infection is by getting a complete round of three vaccinations before having sex for the first time The HPV vaccine is important for boys as well as for girls because boys can also get cancer from the HPV virus.
CDC states that the best way to solve this problem is to be better at addressing "knowledge gaps" among parents who don't want to think about their children having sex, and push more doctors to issue strong recommendations for the HPV vaccine with preteen patients.
Source: Medindia
