Risk factors for cervical cancer includes, Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection which is the most important risk factor for cervical cancer. Other risk factors are becoming sexually active at younger age, having many sexual partners, having one partner who is considered high risk, with HPV infection or who has many sexual partners. Other risk factors are Smoking. Having a weakened immune system such as HIV, Long-term use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills), a diet low in fruits and vegetables and having a family history of cervical cancer
Things to do to prevent pre-cancers and cancers
Get an HPV vaccine: Vaccines are available that can help protect children and young adults against certain HPV infections. These vaccines only work to prevent HPV infection they will not treat an infection that is already there. That is why, to be most effective, the HPV vaccines should be given before a person becomes exposed to HPV (such as through sexual activity). The vaccines require a series of injections (shots). Side effects are usually mild. The most common ones are short-term redness, swelling, and soreness at the injection site. We recommend HPV vaccination of children between the ages of 9 and 12. Children and young adults age 13 through 26 who have not been vaccinated, or who haven’t gotten all their doses, should get the vaccine as soon as possible. Vaccination of young adults will not prevent as many cancers as vaccination of children and teens. We do not recommend HPV vaccination for persons older than 26 years. It’s important to know that no vaccine provides complete protection against all cancer, so routine cervical cancer screening is still needed.
Another one is to limit exposure to HPV, HPV is passed from one person to another during skin-to-skin contact with an infected area of the body. Although HPV can be spread during skin to skin contact including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, sex doesn’t have to occur for the infection to spread, all that is needed is skin-to-skin contact with an area of the body infected with HPV. This means that the virus can be spread without sex. It is even possible for a genital infection to spread through hand-to-genital contact. Also, HPV infection seems to be able to spread from one part of the body to another. This means that an infection may start in the cervix and then spread to the vagina and vulva. It can be very hard not to be exposed to HPV. It may be possible to prevent HPV infection by not allowing others to have contact with your anal or genital area, but even then there might be other ways to become infected that aren’t yet clear. Limiting the number of sex partners and avoiding sex with people who have had many other sex partners may lower your risk of exposure to HPV. But again, HPV is very common, so having sexual activity with even one other person can put you at risk. Remember that someone can have HPV for years and still have no symptoms. So it’s possible someone can have the virus and pass it on without knowing it.
Use a condom: Condoms (“rubbers”) provide some protection against HPV but they don’t completely prevent infection. One reason that condoms cannot protect completely is because they don’t cover every possible HPV-infected area of the body, such as skin of the genital or anal area, still condoms provide some protection against HPV, and they also help protect against HIV and some other sexually transmitted infections. Don’t smoke:
Not smoking is another important way to reduce the risk of cervical pre-cancer and cancer.
