January is Cervical Health Awareness Month

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) joins the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) in recognizing January as Cervical Health Awareness Month. According to NCCC, more than one in ten U.S. women (11 percent) report they do not have routine Pap test screenings. The Pap test, along with HPV (the human papillomavirus) three-shot prevention vaccine is the best way to prevent cervical cancer, which kills more than 4,000 U.S. women and about 45 Iowa women each year.

Cervical cancer is preventable and is usually curable, if detected early. If detected early, treatment is most successful. Detection relies primarily on a routine pelvic exam (beginning at age 21), cervical screening (a Pap test), and an HPV test when recommended, since there are usually no symptoms associated with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine is another tool to prevent cervical cancer. Almost all cervical cancer is caused by HPV, a common sexually transmitted virus.

The HPV vaccine is given in a three-dose series over six months. The CDC recommends girls and boys begin the HPV vaccinations at age 11 or 12. For more information on the HPV vaccine, talk to your health care provider, or visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines.

The IDPH Care for Yourself (CFY) program seeks to increase the number of Iowa women aged 40 to 64 years old who are screened for cervical cancer, breast cancer, and heart disease risk factors. Women must meet age and income guidelines to be eligible for the program. Since 1995, the CFY program has screened more than 35,000 Iowa women.

For more information about the IDPH CFY program and cervical cancer, visit

www.idph.state.ia.us/careforyourself