Having “the talk” By Alison Bailin Batz
Let’s talk about sexy, baby – as in sexually transmitted diseases! And all of our sexual partners! And getting tested! The above discourse might be the least
romantic conversation one can have with a new love – ever. But, however awkward it might be, this talk might also be one of the most important topics to discuss honestly as the relationship blooms. Why? According to the American Cancer Society, there will be more than 12,000 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed this year in the United States alone, making it the third most common cancer in women. The disease forms slowly, but has few symptoms in its early stages. The number one risk factor in developing cervical cancer – the human papilloma virus, or HPV. This virus, which can also cause genital warts, comes in more than 100 different strains of varying degrees of severity. About 40 of these strains can affect the genital area, potentially leading to cervical cancer. The bad news? Genital HPV infection is very common among sexually active people. It is so common, in fact, that some estimate that half of all men and three-quarters of all women have been infected with HPV at some point in their lifetime. “Men can be carriers of the disease for years without a single symptom, until they eventually transmit it to their significant other,” said Dr. Rhianna Meadows, program director for Primary Care and Male Services at Planned Parenthood Arizona. The good news? Most HPV infections will go away on their own without treatment within one to two years. “However, some will continue to ‘hide’ in the body for many years before they cause problems,”
said Dr. Meadows. “This makes it nearly impossible to determine when patients became infected with the disease, how long they’ve had it and who gave it to them.”
The importance of Paps
In addition to STD screenings, which both men and women should regularly undertake, it is highly recommended that all women have a Pap test done to detect early changes in the cervix. A Pap test, which is not painful for the patient, is done by a medical provider inserting a metal or plastic speculum into the vagina, which is opened slowly to allow the clinician to visually examine the cervix (the opening to the uterus). The provider then uses a small latinopm.com
¡ January 2013!
Latino Perspectives Magazine
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