If you have had sexual intercourse, is it still necessary to get the HPV vaccine? The answer is yes! Even if you have already been sexually active, receiving the HPV vaccine still holds significant importance.
Firstly, regardless of whether you have been sexually active, the main purpose of getting the HPV vaccine is to prevent infection from the HPV virus, which is one of the key factors leading to various serious diseases. HPV virus infection is closely linked to the occurrence of cervical cancer, ** cancer, ** cancer, and certain oral and throat cancers. Just because you have been sexually active does not mean you are necessarily infected with the HPV virus. Many people might mistakenly believe that once they start having sex, there is no need for vaccination, but in reality, the vast majority of individuals will not be immediately infected with the HPV virus after their first sexual encounter.
Ideally, the HPV vaccine should be administered before the initial sexual activity, to ensure the most comprehensive protection before exposure to the virus. The nine-valent HPV vaccine is currently the most widely covering HPV vaccine, capable of preventing nine different subtypes of the HPV virus, including HPV types 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58. Among these subtypes, HPV types 16 and 18 are the primary causes of most cervical cancers, while HPV types 6 and 11 are common causes of genital warts.
So, after becoming sexually active, will the effectiveness of the vaccine be compromised? It depends on the individual’s infection status. If a specific subtype of the HPV virus has already been contracted, the protective effect against that subtype will be significantly reduced when the vaccine is administered. However, there are multiple subtypes of the HPV virus, and if the subtype you are infected with is not covered by the vaccine, getting vaccinated can still help prevent infections from other uncovered subtypes, offering a certain level of protection. Therefore, even if you have already been sexually active, getting the HPV vaccine can still help reduce the risk of future infections to some extent.
Thus, it is recommended to get the HPV vaccine as soon as possible, without delay, to minimize the risk of infection and prevent HPV-related diseases. Compared to some regions in mainland China, the supply of the nine-valent HPV vaccine is more abundant and stable in Hong Kong and Macau. If you wish to complete the vaccination promptly, you can choose to make an appointment through the Whale Vaccine Network.
