Health & Fitness Lifestyle

Ladies, Let’s Practice These Tips To Prevent Cervical Cancer

Twenty-six Nigerian women lose their lives due to cervical cancer every day and a further 14,000 women are diagnosed each year with this disease. 

Hi SL Fabz,

The month of January is the Cervical Health Awareness Month, a chance to raise awareness about how women can protect themselves from HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and cervical cancer. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease. It’s also a major cause of cervical cancer.

Sadly, Cervical Cancer kills thousands of women in Nigeria every month. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women worldwide. However, half of cervical cancers occur among women rarely or never screened for cancer, and another 10%–20% of cancers occur among women who were screened but did not receive adequate follow-up care. When cervical cancer is found early, it is highly treatable and associated with long survival and good quality of life.

Today, I’d like to share some tips with you about how we can prevent this deadly disease.

1. Get a regular Pap smear. Getting a regular Pap smear is a highly effective way to reduce your risk of cervical cancer. The Pap smear is a simple test that can detect abnormal cervical changes long before they become cancerous. The key to the effectiveness of the Pap smear is having it done regularly. Always consult with your doctor about how often you should be having Pap smears.

2. Limit the amount of sexual partners you have. Practicing safe sex is more than just wearing a condom. It also means limiting the amount of sexual partners you have in your lifetime. Having multiple sexual partners increases your risk of being infected with HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

3. Quit smoking or avoid secondhand smoke. Smoking cigarettes has an effect on cervical cancer as well. Once you’re infected with HPV [human papillomavirus], smoking more than doubles your risk of not beating the disease on your own. Smoking won’t give you HPV, but suck down more than 10 cigarettes a day and you can double your risk for advanced precancerous cells once you have the disease. Plus, it can speed up the cancerous growth.

4. If you are sexually active, use a condom. Having unprotected sex puts you at risk for HIV and other STD’s which can increase your risk factor for developing cervical cancer.

5. Follow up on abnormal Pap smears. If you have had an abnormal Pap smear, it is important to follow up with regular Pap smears or colposcopies, whatever your doctor has decided for you. If you have been treated for cervical dysplasia, you still need to follow up with Pap smears or colposcopies. Dysplasia can return and when undetected, can turn into cervical cancer.

6. Get the HPV vaccine. If you are under 26, you may be eligible to receive the HPV vaccine, which prevents high risk strains of HPV in women. The shot is recommended for girls as young as 9 or 10, because it works best before you’ve had any sort of sexual contact. The vaccine doesn’t protect against HPV strains you’ve already contracted, so most doctors won’t administer it to women over 26 because they assume most are already sexually active.

So dearies, let’s practice these measures to protect ourselves. If you are sexually active, get a pap smear done. And guys, please share this info with any lady you know.

Stay healthy!

SL.

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13 Comments

  • Reply
    Garuba Blessing
    January 24, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    thanks SL. But what are try the symptoms of cervical cancer?

  • Reply
    Immaculate
    January 24, 2015 at 11:26 pm

    Mhhhh, thanks for the post atleast I learnt something.God bless you

  • Reply
    Immaculate
    January 24, 2015 at 11:32 pm

    Thanks for the post. I learnt something. God bless you my diva, Happy New Year, Still enjoying all my gifts during the Make Me Fablous . I appreciates them all. May the Good Lord fulfill all your heart desires and meet you at your point of need in JESUS NAME AMEN.

  • Reply
    faith
    January 25, 2015 at 12:44 am

    Thanks for the information.

  • Reply
    Racheal Laye Edward
    January 25, 2015 at 5:39 am

    God BLess you for this.

  • Reply
    Cissy Martins
    January 25, 2015 at 5:46 am

    Thanks for all you’ve done and the help you’ve given to us

  • Reply
    M. O. G
    January 25, 2015 at 5:56 am

    9ice one, thank u very much and God bless u

  • Reply
    Joy Eberechi
    January 25, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Wow!! Thanks stephy I really learnt a lot from this,God will continue to bless u for me

  • Reply
    maryjecinta
    January 25, 2015 at 9:44 am

    Thank my diva you are the best God bless you for this great information.

  • Reply
    janelle
    January 25, 2015 at 10:42 am

    Thanks for the info Steph

  • Reply
    Daughter of Zion
    January 26, 2015 at 11:27 am

    Thanks for the information.

  • Reply
    farlone
    January 27, 2015 at 10:17 am

    thanks a lot for that information. you are my role model.may the LORD ALMIGHTY continue to u and
    family.this information we are going to share it. you
    know the bible says in Hosea 4:6 that my people
    perish blc of lack of knowledge.

  • Reply
    stop smoking
    May 25, 2015 at 2:58 pm

    WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by
    searching for quit smoking

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