Cervical Cancer Prevention

Peer Review Status: Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cancer Information Service
First Published: January 2001
Last Revised: August 2006

Who gets cervical cancer? There is a greater risk of cervical cancer among women who have a history of the human papilloma virus, (HPV). or who have had more than five pregnancies. Also at risk are smokers and. young women whose mothers took DES while pregnant.

One of the ways to prevent cervical cancer is to practice safe sex. This is because it reduces your exposure to HPV which causes cervical dysplasia and cancer. Birth control methods, such as a condom, can reduce, but not eliminate, your risk. Having sex with a long term partner can also reduce the risk.

Women exposed to tobacco smoke, their own or someone else's, have up to three times the risk of cervical cancer. That is because cigarette smoking/second hand smoke depresses your immune system. So if exposure to HPV occurs, your body cannot get rid of the virus. There is a vaccine to prevent and protect against HPV. Talk to your doctor to learn if this is an option for you.

Regular screening tests, such as a pelvic exam and Pap test, can detect changes in the cells before they become cancerous. The American Cancer Society advises women who are sexually active or over the age of 18, to have a Pap test and pelvic exam every year. After three normal exams, the Pap test may be performed less often on your doctor's advice.