While the thought of your next pap smear may not spark much enthusiasm, cervical screenings are essential to female health and cancer prevention. During a pap smear, a sample of cervical cells is obtained and then sent to the lab to be analyzed for precancers, which are changes in the cell that may indicate the
HPV
Most of the time, taking care of your sexual health comes down to commonsense decisions that need to be made during every sexual encounter. Using protection and contraception (and doing so properly) is essential, but unfortunately there are many misconceptions about which protection protects against what and how contraception really works. Your PGOMG provider is
The human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil protects against most cervical cancers, which is what it’s most well-known for, but it also helps prevent against anal, vaginal, throat and mouth cancers. Gardasil also prevents genital warts. The vaccine is recommended for women and men as young as 11 and as old as 26. What’s more,
How can I get HPV? Do I really need a vaccine to prevent it? What are the symptoms of HPV? Can I get HPV if I’m monogamous? Is there a cure? HPV is a topic that many teenagers are familiar with, but often only on a surface level. They’ve probably heard of HPV and know
The rate of HPV (human papilloma virus) in American female teenagers has dropped more than 60 percent since Gardasil was introduced in 2006, according to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics. In the last decade, the HPV vaccine has made a measurable impact on young women’s health, particularly to those aged 14 to 19
Cervical cancer prevention and early detection is an important part of our work here at PGOMG. You may not realize it, but every time you schedule an annual well woman exam, you are taking a significant step for your lifelong health. How do I prevent cervical cancer? One of the most important steps you can
A Pap test, more commonly called a Pap smear, is a standard part of a PGOMG annual well woman exam. During the Pap test, your provider will gently collect cells from your cervix, and these cells are then sent for analysis. If an abnormality is found as a result of the tested cells, your provider
The Gardasil vaccine protects against the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. – so why are so many people resisting it? Gardasil is a vaccine that immunizes women as well as men against human papilloma virus (HPV). The vaccine is recommended for ages 16-18 but can be given as early as age 11
As we begin the New Year, we mark January as a time for new beginnings, resolutions, and even awareness for cervical health, including cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can often be both detected early and prevented by undergoing a yearly Pap test which is performed during annual well woman exams with PGOMG. 2014 saw over 12,300
For a woman, staying healthy at any age means taking full responsibility for her own health and well-being. Of course, this translates into a balanced lifestyle involving diet and exercise, but there are some things that you’ll need a doctor’s help and advice for (every so often). In order to clear up any misconceptions you
