The HPV Vaccine

I'm struggling with the newest vaccine that is being pushed - and may possibly become required nationwide - for young girls. Scientists have developed a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions, and genital warts due to HPV, the human papillomavirus. HPV is spread only through sexual contact. Statistics say that 50% of all sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives.

The problem is that vaccines work best before a person is exposed to a disease. So the "routine vaccination" which requires three shots in six month, is being recommended for girls 11-12 years of age, but is available for girls as young as 9. Do the math: this means 12 is seen as the last age a young girl can safely be assumed to NOT be sexual active. The push for this vaccine is to get it done before they are sexually active then they're covered WHENEVER they are. Except it is thought a booster will be needed every five years.

So here's my struggle:

On the one hand: I want to do everything I can to limit my daughter's chances of having cervical cancer. So if there is something that can help prevent it, than I feel a need to do it.

On the other hand: I do not want to encourage sexual activity in my child or in others before they're married, and certainly not as young as 9 or 11.

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On the one hand: While I hope my daughter's first sexual experience is on her wedding night, and therefore something she is ready for and choosing, it may not be. This vaccine would protect her in the event of a sexual assault.

On the other hand: I don't intend to put her on birth control pills in case she gets raped. If there was a HIV vaccine I wouldn't have her get it IN CASE she gets raped.

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On the one hand: Just because she has the vaccine doesn't mean I'm encouraging her to have sex. I'm just preparing her the future when she does.

On the other hand: I wouldn't give her condoms at 11 to save so she's prepared when she does get married and have sex.

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On the one hand: Making an appointment for her to have an appointment for a shot doesn't require that I tell her the shot is to prevent her to get sick from sex. I mean, I didn't explain polio or MMR to her.

On the other hand: Polio and MMR happened when she was a baby. The HPV vaccine will come at a time in life when open and honest discussions with her about the world, her body, God, and most everything else will shape who she becomes. I don't know that I would want to avoid an explanation.


I don't know what I think. And I have a couple of years before I have to face it entirely. But it speaks to the state of our society, that we are so centered on living the way we want to that unborn children are killed and 11 year old girls are able to have sex without worry of genital warts or cervical cancer. What a mess.