By Christina Metz
We women cherish the power of our female anatomy in our youth. From carrying and delivering babies to regulating hormones, the uterus and ovaries are the stars of the show. However, we tend to neglect other critical components and aspects of our reproductive system during this time. This negligence extends to even the uterus and ovaries when our childbearing years have ceased. Young women who are becoming sexually active have many considerations to keep in mind, too, including the threat of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Whether women are 15 or 55, it’s crucial for them to see a gynecologist regularly for routine screenings and exams.
Gynecologists support women’s health before and after their childbearing years and should be seen while a woman retains reproductive organs, which include the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. As part of a woman’s annual visit, a gynecologist will examine the vulva, vagina and cervix, as well as breast tissue for any abnormalities or disease. One STI that can cause irreparable damage to a woman’s health and life is human papillomavirus, or HPV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HPV is the most common STI in the United States, with more than 43 million cases reported in 2018. Although most cases of HPV result in production of genital warts or dormant latency, HPV has been linked to most vulvar cancer and cervical cancer cases in women. In addition to the harm it causes to women, HPV also has been linked to cancers of the penis, anus and oropharyngeal tissues in men. Once contracted, HPV remains inside the body, either lying dormant or causing active disease, particularly in times of immune suppression. There is no cure or way to rid the body of HPV. The risk of HPV producing a cancer increases with chronic alcohol or tobacco use.
A gynecologist will perform a screening test called a pap smear to detect any abnormal cells on the cervix as part of a woman’s annual exam. Pap smears can detect even minute changes before cells turn into precancerous or cancer. The CDC recommends women ages 21 (or younger if sexually active) to 65 receive pap smears once every three years.
If a woman has never had an abnormal pap and her cervix has been removed in a complete hysterectomy, pap smear screening may stop at 65. Unfortunately, most women stop seeing a gynecologist regularly once they progress through their childbearing years, despite the fact they still have reproductive tissues at risk of undergoing abnormal changes.
Maintaining annual gynecologist visits, in addition to annual physicals with a primary care provider, can keep you current with cancer screening and help you manage pesky symptoms that occur as we age. As we become mothers and grandmothers, it is important for us to remember this information while raising our own children.
There is a vaccine against HPV that has been administered for over 15 years, which can protect both males and females beginning at the age of 9 called Gardisil 9. It can be administered by pediatricians, primary care physicians or gynecologists. More information is available on the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.html.
Christina Metz is an RN, BSN and OCN with Singing River Health System. Reach her at christina.metz@mysrhs.com.