With midterms around the corner, calls from Mom that need to be returned, and the occasional night-out with the girls, who has time to reflect upon their health, let alone verse themselves in the newest medical guidelines?
For example… Did you know that last March, the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) published new cervical cancer screening recommendations? Well if you hadn’t heard, now is the time to listen up! Here are the USPSTF’s new recommendations** that collegiettes should be aware of:
- Women under the age of 21 are recommended against screening for cervical cancer.
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Women between the ages of 21 and 29 are recommended to screen for cervical cancer every 3 years.
In light of these new guidelines and the BC girl’s overwhelmingly busy schedule, Her Campus BC has consulted with Dr. James Greenberg, MD; Dr. Lali Haines, MD; and Dr. Kathleen LeMaitre, MD, all highly accomplished and well respected Boston-based OBGYNs (obstetrician gynecologists), to provide you with the quick and dirty, Sparknotes version of the TOP FIVE ways you can continue to keep your gynecological health in tip-top shape and avoid cervical cancer!
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Get Vaccinated
Considering human papillomavirus (HPV) causes over 95% of all cervical cancers, talk to your doctor about the HPV vaccine. And don’t worry, collegiettes – it’s not too late! The vaccination is approved for women between the ages of 12 and 26, regardless of sexual history. -
“Check-Up” with your Doctor
Although an annual Pap smear is no longer required, our experts still recommend that you maintain
your annual doctor’s visit. This gives you a chance to, as Dr. Greenberg reminds us, “establish a relationship with your doctor” – so when that more-personal Pap smear does come around, it is not a total stranger who’s examining you! -
Quit Smoking
Not only does smoking lead to multiple other health complications, but “cigarette smoking, even just socially, makes it much more difficult to clear HPV infections,” says Dr. Haines. -
Condoms, condoms, condoms!
The rules of high school health class still apply in college, girls: practice safe sex! This point could not be more emphasized enough by all three of our experts – especially Dr. LeMaitre who reinforced that “condoms as a contraceptive method protect you from certain sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), one of which is HPV, the leading cause of cervical cancer.” -
Monitor Your Health
You don’t have to be in a doctor’s office to be thinking about your health! Dr. Haines recommends, “always being in-tune with your body,” specifically by keeping track of your genital health and periods; she suggests using tracking apps for your smartphone, such as Monthly Cycles or Period Tracker!
** The USPSTF recommendations address the general population; they do not address those women who (1) have been diagnosed as HIV positive, or (2) are on immune suppressant medication.
Photo Sources:
http://frugivoremag.com/2012/06/health-minute-black-women-x-cervical-cancer/
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/cervical-cancer-symptoms-and-basic-information