What are the precautionary measures taken to prevent cervical cancer?
There are several precautionary measures women can take to decrease the risk of getting cervical cancer. These include:
- Having regular Pap smear testing can help to identify the cancer in early stage and reduce the risk of getting it to advanced stage
- As HPV is the most common cause of cervical cancer, women are advised to get vaccinated to prevent the occurrence of HPV infection
- Besides cervical cancer, HPV can also cause vulvar, vaginal, penile and anal cancers, as well as some head & neck cancers. It also causes genital warts and results in abnormal Pap test results which lead to further tests or treatment
- Do not start smoking because it’s time to stop if you’re still a smoker. Smoking has been shown to impair the capacity of the immune system and flush out an HPV infection
- Women should limit their number of sexual partners and delay the onset of sexual activity to reduce risk as more partners increases the probability of infection
- Use of the condom or dental dam (the barrier method) can decrease areas that are exposed but cannot completely prevent exposure
- Be physically active. Physical fitness can help you to have lower risk of cervical cancer
- Have balanced diet
- If your family history shows cervical cancer, ensure that you get screened regularly to get yourself treated with cancer at early stages
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