For those of you curious about the vaccine for HPV (it is called Guardasil and is made my Merk) it is a series of 3 shots given over 6 months. It is currently FDA "approved" for girls 12-26 in the US. However, this is just a guideline, and many doctors will give it to women older depending on circumstances. Generally they are giving it to women who have not become sexually active yet, as this is the only way to know that they haven't been exposed to one of the 4 strains of HPV that it is effective for. However, I believe that some doctors are giving it to people who have already been sexually active because the chances that they have already been exposed to all 4 strains is pretty low. As for insurance covering it, some are, some aren't, and it might depend on your age.

I have had two of my 3 doses, and I didn't start it until I was 27 (am 28 now), but I had talked to my Dr. the minute it was approved by the FDA since my mom had cervical cancer, and I have not yet been sexually active. While cervical cancer is usually caused by one of the HPV strains, it is still unclear why it only forms into cancer in some women, and there is a thought that that part of it might be genetic. My insurance doesn't cover it (yet), but I can get the vaccine at cost at my university. It is $135 for each injection, so ~$400 for all 3. In my mind, that is a small price to pay for decreasing my risk of cervical cancer.

I would encourage anyone who is able to to get the vaccine, and if you (or your daughters) are in the age group, or close to it, and there is a history of cervical cancer in your family I would really push the Dr. to let you get it ASAP, even if you have to pay for it.

RunningMommy - I know what you mean about this being a touchy subject for partners... my mom only had 1 partner, my dad, and the Dr.s do know that HPV caused her cervical cancer, so my dad hates that there are now all these ads about cancer being caused by a sexually transmitted virus, because it implies that he gave it to her. To add to it, she had to have a full hysterectomy, so no more kids.

For those of you older or yunger, I know that Merk is running clinical trials on women over 26 and on men (so they can't transmit it), so keep watching.

Also, word of warning... the injection hurts like a b**ch! Apparently it is the silver solution they use as the carrier. My clinic has found that the slower they inject it the less painful it is, so suggest that when you get it if they don't say anything.